Definition:
The gradual degradation of a product or service over time, where initial user-friendly design gives way to increasing friction, restrictions, monetisation, and exploitation as a platform shifts its priorities toward profit extraction.
Usage Context:
Frequently applied to social media platforms, apps, subscription services, and digital ecosystems that worsen after achieving market dominance.
Critical Note:
Enshittification reveals that many design harms are not accidents or failures, but stages in a business lifecycle. What begins as “innovation” often ends as coercion. Accessibility features are commonly among the first casualties, reframed as optional extras once user lock-in has been achieved.
Related Terms:
Value Extraction, Attention Economy, Platform Dependency, Normalisation of Decline, Consumer Lock-In