FOSSMeet'25

FOSSMeet'25

Open Mind. Open Source.

Het Joshi

@hetjoshi

Enshittification of Technology - How Our Digital World is Getting Worse—and What We Can Do About It

Submitted Jan 21, 2025

Abstract:
The internet was once a place of open innovation, free expression, and user empowerment. But today, we see platforms degrading in quality, services getting locked behind paywalls, and once-thriving ecosystems collapsing under corporate greed. This phenomenon—coined “enshittification” by Cory Doctorow—describes how digital platforms follow a predictable cycle: they attract users with value, exploit businesses for profit, and then degrade into rent-seeking monopolies.

In this talk, we will explore the enshittification cycle across social media, cloud services, app stores, and AI-driven platforms. We’ll analyze how surveillance capitalism, dark patterns, and walled gardens are eroding user autonomy, digital rights, and even cybersecurity. More importantly, we’ll discuss how Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), decentralized networks, and alternative economic models offer a way forward.

Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how enshittification works, why it matters, and how we can fight back. Whether you’re a developer, researcher, or activist, this talk will equip you with tools and ideas to resist the digital decline and build a more user-first technological future.

Key Takeaways:

  • Understanding the economic and technical forces driving enshittification.
  • Case studies of major platforms and how they degraded over time.
  • The role of FOSS, decentralized web (DWeb), and ethical tech in resisting this trend.
  • Actionable strategies for users, developers, and organizations to push back.

Target Audience:
Developers, cybersecurity professionals, system administrators, FOSS advocates, policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of digital rights and open technology.

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