December 16th, 2024

Never Forgive Them

The article discusses the tech industry's shift from user satisfaction to profit, leading to poor product quality and manipulative practices. It calls for awareness of these harmful changes in technology.

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Never Forgive Them

The article "Never Forgive Them" by Edward Zitron discusses the deteriorating relationship between technology companies and their users, emphasizing that the tech industry's incentives have shifted away from user satisfaction towards relentless growth and profit extraction. Zitron argues that this shift has led to a decline in product quality and user experience, with companies treating customers as mere sources of revenue rather than valued participants. He highlights the pervasive nature of this issue across major platforms like Meta, Amazon, and Spotify, where design changes prioritize engagement metrics over user needs. The author expresses concern that users have become desensitized to these negative experiences, often blaming themselves for their frustrations with technology. He calls for a societal reckoning with the ways digital tools have become increasingly manipulative and harmful, suggesting that the tech ecosystem operates under a "Rot Economy" that prioritizes growth at the expense of user happiness. Zitron concludes by urging readers to recognize the insidious nature of these changes and to understand that the technology they use daily is not designed with their best interests in mind.

- The tech industry's focus on growth has led to a decline in user experience and product quality.

- Major platforms manipulate users to maximize engagement and revenue, often disregarding user needs.

- Users frequently blame themselves for frustrations with technology, overlooking systemic issues.

- The pervasive nature of digital irritations affects mental well-being and societal interactions.

- A call for awareness and change in how technology is designed and utilized is necessary.

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By @karmakaze - 3 months
I read the top part, skimmed some more, then looked at the end. It did warn me that it was a long post. What I didn't expect was that it was a well-written rant that didn't seem to have any salient actionable points. I expect a certain amount of new information per unit written/read, so either have more to say, or use fewer words to say it.

Perhaps it's a good read for folks who enjoy words about something they already agree with.

By @more_corn - 3 months
My favorite symptom of enshitification is interrupting an article to say “join my newsletter” How about no? Get out of my face, I’m busy reading what you wanted to convey.