Enshittification, also known as platform decay, describes how a two-sided online service diminishes its quality over time by shifting its focus from serving users to maximizing short-term profits for shareholders and advertisers.
Individuals interested in digital economics, technology policy, or critiques of major online platforms read this to understand the mechanisms behind declining user experience on popular services.
External context
For those managing independent online properties, understanding enshittification suggests that relying solely on a platform's goodwill is risky. The process warns that service quality may degrade as the platform prioritizes monetization over maintaining a high-quality user environment. Therefore, building value and audience resilience outside of the core platform ecosystem becomes crucial for long-term survival.
Enshittification Wikipedia contributors, “Enshittification”, en.wikipedia.orgLicence01What it is and how it works
A platform starts by offering a free, high‑quality experience that attracts users. Once the user base is large, the owners add monetisation layers—ads, data sales, or premium tiers. Those layers crowd out the original features, slow down performance, and push users toward paid shortcuts. The cycle repeats: more revenue pressure leads to more intrusive changes, and the brand’s reputation erodes as users feel exploited.
It is a decline in a product’s quality because the owners care more about money than users.
02What to do about it
1. Audit your own product for hidden revenue hooks that hurt usability. 2. Set a quarterly KPI that balances revenue with a user‑experience score (e.g., Net Promoter Score). 3. Create a cross‑functional “experience guardrail” committee that can veto changes that increase friction for users. 4. Communicate transparently with your audience about why a change is made and gather feedback before launch. These steps can be started this week with a simple spreadsheet and a short meeting.
03How it is measured or noticed
Look for rising bounce rates, longer load times, and a drop in brand‑search sentiment. Tools like Google Search Central’s Core Web Vitals report can flag performance degradation. Compare the share of ad‑driven traffic to organic traffic in Google Search Console; a sharp increase may signal enshittification. Also monitor user‑generated content—negative reviews, social media complaints, and a dip in brand‑related query volume in the Search Quality Rater Guidelines.
How the record puts it
Enshittification, also known as platform decay, is a process in which two-sided online products and services decline in quality over time.
04Common mistakes
- Adding ads without testing their impact on load speed.
- Prioritising short‑term revenue spikes over long‑term brand health.
- Ignoring user feedback because it conflicts with a sales target.
05Limits
Enshittification does not apply to niche tools that have no advertising model; it is also different from normal product iteration that improves features. The term is often confused with “feature creep,” but feature creep adds functionality, while enshittification adds revenue‑driven friction.
06Worked example
"After the new ad‑placement algorithm rolled out, our app’s average session dropped from 7 minutes to 3 minutes, and brand‑search queries fell 15% in two weeks. We rolled back the changes, restored the original UI, and saw session length and search volume rebound within a month."
The entry above is written by GetLoopLoop. What follows is what independent catalogues hold about the same term — none of it is the source of this page.
- Also called
- junkification, platform decay, enshittocene, crapification
- Named after
- shit
The same term on Wikipedia
Catalogued in 32 languagesFrequently asked questions
How can I tell if my platform is undergoing Enshittification?
Usually you notice a shift from user‑focused features to more ads or sponsor content. Look for rising bounce rates, slower load times, and a drop in brand‑search sentiment. These signals together suggest the platform is prioritizing advertisers over users.
Is Enshittification the same as normal product iteration?
No, normal iteration improves the experience for users, while Enshittification degrades it for the sake of revenue. The former adds value, the latter adds ads or paywalls that hurt the original audience.
Should I stop using a service if I see signs of Enshittification?
It depends on how critical the service is to your workflow and how quickly alternatives exist. If the user experience has noticeably worsened and brand perception is suffering, consider switching or lobbying for change.
Who within a company typically drives Enshittification?
Usually senior leadership and advertising sales teams push the shift to maximize shareholder returns. Product managers may implement the changes, but the strategic direction comes from the top.
What impact does Enshittification have on brand‑search sentiment?
Yes, it often leads to a measurable decline in positive sentiment scores. Users encountering more ads or lower‑quality content associate that experience with the brand, hurting its reputation.
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Asked out loud
spoken, not typedThe same term in the words somebody uses speaking to an assistant rather than typing into a box — written from the situation, which is why each one carries the situation it came from.
Usually the platform has entered an Enshittification phase, prioritizing ad revenue over user experience. This results in more ads, slower pages, and a poorer perception of the brand you’re presenting.
It depends on whether the search engine has shifted its algorithm to favor paid placements. When Enshittification occurs, organic results are pushed down, making the brand appear worse in the report.
Yes, the platform likely underwent Enshittification, adding more advertiser content that pushes the brand lower. This change reduces visibility and can damage the client’s trust in the channel.