SOCIAL MEDIA

The Enshittification of Digital Platforms: Why Social Media Is Getting Worse

⏱ Estimated Read Time: 2 minutes
Watch on TikTok

Have you ever given any thought to the ‘enshittification’ of your digital spaces and platforms, and your own reliance on them? Let me explain, as I’m using a term that might sound a bit unconventional.

Enshittification is a popular term coined by sci-fi author and activist Cory Doctorow. It refers to how platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (now X) evolve. When they first launch, they’re brand new, cool, and everyone wants to be on them. The platforms themselves offer many appealing features, promising openness and being free. Everyone jumps on board.

But then, once a platform feels it has a captive audience, a user base that’s ‘stuck,’ it begins to ‘enshittify.’ This means they start locking out features, putting things behind paywalls, trying to nickel and dime you, and flooding you with ads. Suddenly, the platform that was once so grand, so inviting, now feels… well, enshittified. And you’re stuck because you’re deeply integrated into that platform.

One thing I’ve always tried to maintain in my own digital life is avoiding over-dependence on any single platform. However, many of us aren’t as lucky or don’t have the luxury of easily navigating or using multiple different apps. We want our technology to be easy, to make our lives as pain-free and seamless as possible. So naturally, trying to use different platforms and spread out our digital footprints can become tricky.

But there’s a significant reason why we should be mindful of this. It’s one thing to be tied to a company and a platform because we like its features. But what happens when government control comes into play? What if they say, “Hey, now that you have all these people, we want you to give us their information so we can spy on them”? You might think, “Hold up, that’s not cool,” but you’re stuck on their platform.

I feel like many countries are now realizing they’ve over-relied on specific platforms and are effectively at the mercy of the US government’s whims. They might suddenly be told, “What do you mean you’re going to turn off these systems if we don’t comply with your laws or follow your rules?” Because now they’re essentially, in a digital sense, beholden to another entity.

Considering our digital sovereignty is something we really ought to think about. Is it truly okay that a company knows this much about us, especially if that same company is willing to bend over backward and become part of a draconian system that monitors us? I don’t know, it’s just something to keep in mind. I know many people don’t give it any thought. I’ve tried to, but admittedly, it’s not always something I can change. Still, it’s worth considering. Alright, anyways, y’all have a great day. Till the next one. Beast.

View On:

updated_at 08-08-2025
Ai Disclosure: The above posts were transcribed using AI tools. Some language may not have been accurately transcribed.
Ai Header Image Prompt: High quality, high detail abstract digital art image. The scene depicts a dynamic evolution of a digital platform. On one side, a vibrant, open, and interconnected network of glowing, ethereal blue and green lines with crystalline structures, representing freedom and accessibility. This seamlessly transitions into a cluttered, decaying, and restrictive maze on the other side, dominated by muted grays, dark purples, and fragmented, glitching red and orange elements. Abstract visual metaphors include glowing energy barriers symbolizing paywalls, distorted, intrusive data blocks representing ads, and broken, disjointed pathways indicating locked features. A subtle, abstract human silhouette, formed from shimmering light particles or data streams, is initially free within the open network but gradually becomes entangled and confined within the deteriorating, chaotic side, without overtly defined hands or limbs. Embedded within the decaying structure are subtle, geometric 'eye'-like patterns or siphoning data streams, hinting at surveillance and loss of digital sovereignty. The art style combines intricate geometric patterns, volumetric lighting, and deep depth of field, creating a somewhat abstract yet powerful visual narrative. Avoid any bold titles or text.