--- title: "What is Enshittification? — Social Media Glossary | Postpone" canonical_url: "https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/enshittification" last_updated: "2026-10-08T07:16:25.913Z" meta: description: "Enshittification is the gradual degradation of a platform as it shifts from serving its users to extracting maximum value from them." "og:description": "Enshittification is the gradual degradation of a platform as it shifts from serving its users to extracting maximum value from them." "og:title": "What is Enshittification? — Social Media Glossary" "twitter:description": "Enshittification is the gradual degradation of a platform as it shifts from serving its users to extracting maximum value from them." "twitter:title": "What is Enshittification? — Social Media Glossary" --- **Culture & Formats** # Enshittification Enshittification is the gradual degradation of a platform as it shifts from serving its users to extracting maximum value from them. [**Reddit **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/reddit-post-scheduler) [** X **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/twitter-post-scheduler) [** Instagram **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/instagram-post-scheduler) [** Facebook **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/facebook-post-scheduler) [** LinkedIn **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/linkedin-scheduler) [** TikTok **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tiktok-post-scheduler) [** Threads **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/threads-scheduler) [** Pinterest **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/pinterest-scheduler) [** YouTube **Shorts scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/youtube-shorts-scheduler) [** Bluesky **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/bluesky-post-scheduler) [** Tumblr **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tumblr-post-scheduler) [** Mastodon **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/mastodon-post-scheduler) Enshittification is a term for the gradual process by which a platform's user experience degrades over time. Coined by writer [Cory Doctorow in 2023](https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-platforms-cory-doctorow/), the word quickly entered mainstream tech vocabulary because it put a name to something many people had already noticed. The theory describes a three-stage cycle. First, a platform invests heavily in user experience — clean interfaces, generous algorithms, minimal friction. This attracts a large user base. Second, the platform shifts focus toward its business customers — advertisers, brands, publishers — and user experience becomes a secondary priority. Third, the platform optimizes for maximum revenue extraction from all parties, and the overall experience declines. ## How the Cycle Works The pattern typically starts when a platform moves from a growth phase to a monetization phase. Features that once made the product feel great for users — chronological feeds, high organic reach, minimal ads — get replaced or dialed back in favor of revenue-generating alternatives. This isn't necessarily malicious. Platforms are businesses, and they need sustainable revenue models. The tension is that the changes that drive revenue (more ad inventory, algorithmic feeds that favor paid content, reduced organic reach) often come at the cost of the user experience that attracted people in the first place. Over time, users may notice more promoted content in their feeds, declining organic reach for their posts, new premium features replacing previously free ones, or interface changes that prioritize engagement metrics over usability. ## Why It's a Recurring Pattern The economics behind enshittification are structural. Venture-backed platforms are built to grow fast, often subsidizing the early user experience to build scale. Once the user base is established, the business model shifts toward extracting value from that audience. Every new ad format, algorithmic tweak, or paywall represents a trade-off between revenue and user satisfaction. This cycle has driven interest in alternative models like decentralized platforms and open protocols, where users have more control over their experience. The fediverse and similar projects are built partly in response to these patterns, trading scale for transparency and user agency. ## What It Means for Your Strategy The concept of enshittification is a useful reminder to diversify. Organic reach, algorithm behavior, and platform features can all change at any time based on a platform's business priorities — not yours. Build your strategy across multiple channels rather than going all-in on one. Invest in owned channels like email lists, your website, and RSS feeds where you control the relationship with your audience. Treat social platforms as valuable distribution channels, but not as the sole foundation of your presence. Staying aware of how platforms evolve helps you adapt your strategy proactively rather than reactively when changes happen. **Example** A platform that once delivered a clean, chronological feed starts introducing algorithmic sorting, more ad placements, and recommended content from accounts you don't follow — until the experience feels unrecognizable from where it started. ## **Why It Matters** Enshittification describes a common lifecycle pattern in tech platforms. Understanding this concept helps social media managers diversify their distribution strategy and avoid over-reliance on any single channel. ## **Related Terms** [Algorithm](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/algorithm) [Deplatforming](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/deplatforming) [Fediverse](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/fediverse) [Organic Reach](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/organic-reach) [Social Media Strategy](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/social-media-strategy) [**← Back to Social Media Glossary **](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary)