The Norwegian Consumer Council has created a dark comedy video, all in the name of enshittification, coined by writer Cory Doctorow to describe the rapid decline in quality of digital platforms.
The council’s report, Breaking Free: Pathways to a fair technological future, digs into this degraded environment and urges regulation.
The council and 70 consumer groups in Europe and the US are sending a letter to policymakers in the EU/EEA, UK and the US.
“Digital products and services are steadily becoming worse,” says the council.
‘Software becomes increasingly difficult and frustrating to use, websites and apps are littered with ads and spam content, and useful features are removed, degraded, or made subscription-only.
“This is part of a process called enshittification.
“Enshittification happens in stages: First a company attracts users by providing a valuable service, often seemingly for free or at an artificially low price.
“The company then exploits those users to draw in business customers, and finally abuses its business customers and claws back all the value for itself and its shareholders.
“Enshittification is the result of a dysfunctional market, where companies have been able to get away with mistreating and exploiting consumers.
“Consumers are trapped in digital services, potential competitors are shut out, and policymakers and regulators are unable or reluctant to clamp down on anticompetitive, illegal and otherwise abusive behavior. In practice, a handful of tech companies have become so powerful that they do not have reason to fear any consequences.”
The report said much needs to be done to achieve a better digital world, where technology works for consumers rather than against them.
This includes rebalancing power between service providers and consumers.
“Consumers should be allowed to control their digital experiences and decide how they want to use products that they own,” according to the report.
“It should be possible and practical to switch to alternative service providers, or tweak services they already use to suit their needs and preferences.”
Dependence on big tech needs to be smashed.
“To lay the groundwork for innovative products and services and pave the way for alternatives to big tech, competition in digital markets must be restored,” the report said.
“Technology based on principles such as openness, interoperability and portability must be advanced through strategic investments.
“For example, the public sector should leverage its power as a major procurer to support alternatives to big tech.”
Existing laws need to be enhanced.
“Far from hindering innovation, regulation and laws provide crucial guardrails to guide innovation and ensure a level playing field. Weak enforcement allows big tech to continue its damaging practices at the cost of freedom of choice, service quality, and innovation. To remedy this, enforcement must be strong and vigorous.”
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