Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary consequence of enshittification as defined in the Macquarie Dictionary?
What is the primary consequence of enshittification as defined in the Macquarie Dictionary?
- A decrease in the quality of service provided (correct)
- The gradual improvement of service quality
- An increase in user satisfaction on online platforms
- Enhanced profitability for service providers
Which of the following social media platforms was specifically mentioned as having undergone enshittification?
Which of the following social media platforms was specifically mentioned as having undergone enshittification?
- Snapchat
- Instagram (correct)
- Tumblr
Who coined the term 'enshittification'?
Who coined the term 'enshittification'?
- Cory Doctorow (correct)
- A dictionary committee
- A social media influencer
- An academic researcher
What does the use of affixes in the term 'enshittification' imply about the concept it represents?
What does the use of affixes in the term 'enshittification' imply about the concept it represents?
Which phrase best encapsulates the idea of the 'enshittocene' as referred to by Cory Doctorow?
Which phrase best encapsulates the idea of the 'enshittocene' as referred to by Cory Doctorow?
What is the first stage of the decay process described by Doctorow?
What is the first stage of the decay process described by Doctorow?
According to Doctorow, what could potentially reverse the process of enshittification?
According to Doctorow, what could potentially reverse the process of enshittification?
What ultimately happens to tech platforms at the end of Doctorow's four-stage process?
What ultimately happens to tech platforms at the end of Doctorow's four-stage process?
What was the public's reception of the term 'enshittification' as per the Macquarie Dictionary committee?
What was the public's reception of the term 'enshittification' as per the Macquarie Dictionary committee?
What does Doctorow think about the possibility of fixing big tech?
What does Doctorow think about the possibility of fixing big tech?
Flashcards
Enshittification
Enshittification
Gradual decline of a service's quality, often online, due to profit-seeking practices.
Enshittocene
Enshittocene
A period of time characterized by the degradation of services, particularly online platforms.
Degradation of Online Platforms
Degradation of Online Platforms
The worsening of online services, often driven by the pursuit of profit.
Profit-Seeking Practices
Profit-Seeking Practices
Actions taken with the goal of making money, even if it negatively impacts the product or service.
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Social Media Degradation
Social Media Degradation
The decline in quality and usefulness of social media platforms due to various factors.
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Enshittification Stages
Enshittification Stages
Cory Doctorow describes a three-stage process where online platforms initially benefit users, then prioritize business customers, and finally exploit both for their own profit.
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Right to Disconnect
Right to Disconnect
The right of individuals to detach themselves from digital platforms and work without being constantly connected.
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Rawdogging
Rawdogging
A term used to describe the act of using a service without paying for it, often through illegal means.
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Enshittification's End
Enshittification's End
Doctorow suggests that the decay of online platforms can be reversed through competition, regulation, user empowerment, and worker protection.
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Big Tech Dying
Big Tech Dying
Doctorow proposes a fourth stage of enshittification where platforms ultimately die out due to their own self-serving practices.
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Macquarie Dictionary's Word of the Year
- "Enshittification" is the 2022 word of the year, coined by Cory Doctorow
- It describes the gradual decline in quality of a service, especially online platforms, due to profit-seeking
- Social media users readily understand the concept of "enshittification" due to the prevalence of trolls, extremists, and those spreading misinformation on platforms
- The word highlights how platforms like Twitter, once useful, are now marred by misinformation, negativity and poor user experience.
"Enshittification" Explained
- It's a three-stage process:
- Initial positive user experience
- Abuse of users to improve business for customers
- Abuse of business customers to maximize platform value for themselves
- The word is deliberately structured using suffixes to elevate its formality
Other Notable Mentions
- "Right to disconnect"
- "Rawdogging"
Optimistic Outlook
- Actions such as competition restrictions, user rights, digital privacy regulations and worker protection could combat the "enshittification" process
- It might be possible to reverse the trend towards platforms negatively impacting users and other stakeholders
Meaning of "Enshittification"
- The word itself is basic with Anglo-Saxon roots (suggestive of a fundamental degradation process)
- Adding affixes (prefixes and suffixes) transforms it into an almost formal and seemingly respectable word.
- Without those grammatical extensions (suffixes), merely using the term to describe a slight platform issue would have little to no impact
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