In the ever-evolving world of digital technology, few voices have captured the zeitgeist of platform decay as incisively as Cory Doctorow. His latest book, “Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It,” arrives at a pivotal moment when users and executives alike grapple with the declining quality of online services. Drawing from years of activism and writing, Doctorow coins and expands on “enshittification”—a term he popularized to describe how platforms like Facebook, Amazon, and Uber start strong by prioritizing users, then shift to squeezing suppliers, and finally extract maximum value from everyone involved, leading to a degraded experience.

Doctorow’s analysis, as highlighted in a recent review, paints a vivid picture of this cycle. Platforms lure users with seamless interfaces and valuable features, only to pivot toward monetization strategies that prioritize ads, data harvesting, and algorithmic manipulations over utility. This isn’t mere nostalgia; it’s a structural inevitability in unchecked monopolies, he argues, backed by historical parallels to earlier tech booms and busts.

The Monopolistic Roots of Decline

For industry insiders, Doctorow’s book delves into the antitrust failures that enable this process. He critiques how lax regulations have allowed giants like Google and Meta to dominate, stifling competition and innovation. In one compelling section, he dissects Amazon’s evolution from a customer-centric bookstore to a bloated marketplace rife with counterfeit goods and manipulative search results, a point echoed in critiques from WebProNews, which notes how profit-driven tactics erode trust for both consumers and sellers.

The book doesn’t stop at diagnosis; it proposes solutions rooted in interoperability and regulatory reform. Doctorow advocates for “adversarial interoperability,” where new entrants can build on existing platforms without permission, much like how early web services disrupted incumbents. This approach, he suggests, could break the cycle by fostering genuine competition.

Solutions Beyond Regulation

Beyond policy, Doctorow explores cultural and technological fixes, urging a return to open standards and user empowerment. He draws on examples from the open-source movement, arguing that decentralized systems could counteract enshittification. A review in The New Yorker praises this expansion of his coinage, noting its relevance amid rising concerns over AI slop and surveillance on platforms like TikTok and X.

Critics, however, question whether Doctorow’s optimism overlooks the entrenched power of Big Tech. While he calls for breaking up monopolies—a nod to ongoing antitrust cases against companies like Apple—implementation remains fraught. Still, his framework offers executives a lens to evaluate their own platforms, warning that ignoring user backlash invites disruption from nimbler rivals.

Implications for Tech Leaders

For those steering tech firms, “Enshittification” serves as both cautionary tale and playbook. Doctorow’s insights, longlisted for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year as reported by FT.com, underscore the need for sustainable models that balance profit with user value. In an era of regulatory scrutiny, from Europe’s Digital Markets Act to U.S. lawsuits, his call to “disenshittify” resonates deeply.

Ultimately, Doctorow’s work challenges the industry to rethink growth at all costs. By blending sharp critique with actionable ideas, it provides a roadmap for reclaiming the internet’s promise, urging insiders to act before the decay becomes irreversible. As platforms continue to evolve, his book stands as a timely manifesto for a more equitable digital future.