enshittification

/ɛnˌʃɪtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

the gradual degradation of a product or service

Social media platforms undergo enshittification as they prioritize profit over user experience.

This means the platforms become worse over time due to corporate decisions.

Technology

informal

the process by which a product or service degrades in quality as its owner prioritizes short-term profit over long-term value

Twitter's enshittification accelerated after its acquisition by Elon Musk.

The platform's quality declined rapidly due to management changes.

Coined by tech critic Cory Doctorow in 2022 to describe platform degradation.

Collocations

platform enshittificationthe degradation of a digital platformaccelerated enshittificationrapid decline in quality

competition that leads to lower quality

prioritizing profit over ethics

Use in discussions about tech, business, or policy to describe systemic degradation.

This is an informal term; use cautiously in professional settings.

Coined by Cory Doctorow in 2022, combining 'en-' (to make) + 'shit' (low-quality) + '-ification' (process of becoming).

Primarily used in discussions about tech platforms, social media, and corporate practices. Often implies corporate greed as the cause.

en-

to make

prefix

shit

low-quality or worthless

root

-ification

process of becoming

suffix

English Dictionary