Have you ever wondered why the internet, once a beacon of innovation and freedom, has become a frustrating maze of low-quality search results, endless ads, and invasive AI? It’s not just you—it’s a phenomenon called 'enshittification,' and it’s transforming the digital world in ways most people don’t fully grasp. But here’s where it gets controversial: while tech giants like Google and Amazon are often blamed, the real culprits might be the policy decisions made decades ago that paved the way for this decline. And this is the part most people miss: the internet doesn’t have to be this way. Writer Cory Doctorow, who coined the term, argues that enshittification is a deliberate outcome of greed and regulatory failure, not an inevitable fate. In his book Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It, Doctorow dissects how platforms evolve from user-friendly to shareholder-obsessed, leaving us with a digital landscape that’s increasingly hostile. But there’s hope. From the rise of open-source alternatives like Wikipedia to the unexpected role of Donald Trump in reshaping global tech policies, Doctorow explores how we can reclaim the internet’s potential. The question is: are we willing to challenge the status quo and demand a better digital future? The answer might lie in how we respond to the enshittification of everything—and whether we’re ready to take back control.
