Digital service quality decline linked to ‘enshittification’ concept

The concept of ‘Merdocene’ is being used to describe a phenomenon where digital platforms, products, and services appear to decline in quality over time. This trend is linked to the term ‘enshittification’, coined in 2022 by Canadian writer and activist Cory Doctorow.

According to this theory, the degradation of services is not an accidental byproduct of technological progress but a result of specific economic choices. Once a company achieves a dominant market position, it may prioritize profit margins over user satisfaction and service quality. This process typically involves three stages: first attracting users with high-quality or free services, then shifting focus to favor advertisers, and ultimately prioritizing corporate profits at the expense of both users and content creators.