Disenshittify or Die

Cory Doctorow delivered a talk titled "Disenshittify or Die" at Defcon 32, addressing the concept of "enshittification," which describes the decline in quality of digital platforms as they prioritize profit over user experience. He argues that companies initially provide good services to attract users but later exploit them by locking them in and degrading the service to benefit business customers. This cycle consists of three phases: first, companies cater to users while locking them in; second, they begin to compromise user experience to please business clients; and finally, they exploit both users and businesses, retaining only minimal utility. Doctorow criticizes major tech companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple for their practices that prioritize profit over user satisfaction, leading to a degraded internet experience. He emphasizes that even paying customers often find themselves treated as products, as companies manipulate services and pricing through algorithms and surveillance. The talk serves as a call to action for users to recognize and resist these exploitative practices in the digital landscape.

- Cory Doctorow's talk focuses on the concept of "enshittification" in digital platforms.

- The cycle of enshittification involves three phases: attracting users, exploiting them, and degrading services.

- Major tech companies are criticized for prioritizing profit over user experience.

- Paying customers are often still treated as products due to manipulative practices.

- Doctorow encourages users to recognize and resist exploitative digital practices.