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I admit that I feel salty about the word “enshittification” taking off instead of my phrase for the same thing: “user domestication”. I prefer the latter because it emphasizes the gross disrespect so many platforms show their users, and how the lack of autonomy/mobility naturally leads to enshittification.

Any platform able to get away with enshittification will do so when given the incentive. Enshittification emphasizes the process of a platform’s downfall; we should be taking steps to prevent that from happening in the first place by keeping platforms open. Vigilance against enshittification is misplaced when better spent against user domestication.

Originally posted on https://seirdy.one/notes/2024/01/11/enshittification-and-user-domestication/ (POSSE). #enshittification #UserDomestication


Enshittification and user domestication

I admit that I feel salty about the word “enshittification” taking off instead of my phrase for the same thing: “user domestication”. I prefer the latter
Seirdy’s Home
#enshittification #userdomestication
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Seirdy
Seirdy
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also: god my writing in 2020 was cringe. i’d only just started turning my back on fossbro culture.
in reply to Seirdy

羊肉串
羊肉串
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Content warning: unsolicited affirmation; compliment

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Seirdy
Seirdy
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Content warning: unsolicited affirmation; compliment

This entry was edited (3 months ago)
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Ariadne Conill 🐰
Ariadne Conill 🐰
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@BalooUriza the reality is that user domestication is a much better phrase to describe the trend, considering that these platforms basically consider users to be chattel.

its not your money, its their money, you just happen to be the gatekeeper.

its not your data, its their data, and again you just happen to be the gatekeeper.

when companies think of their userbases like this, its a very unhealthy attitude.

@Baloo Uriza
in reply to Ariadne Conill 🐰

Howard Chu @ Symas
Howard Chu @ Symas
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yep, it's def a better term. But Cory does better marketing.
in reply to Howard Chu @ Symas

ailepet
ailepet
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@hyc @ariadne @BalooUriza Cory also linked "enshittification" to "techno-feudalism", as defined by Varoufakis and others; seen from this perspective, "user domestication" is really "user serfdom" (if I'm correctly translating "servitude de l'utilisateur"). Then again, is there much of a difference between being chattel and being serfs to the platforms?
@Baloo Uriza @Ariadne Conill 🐰 @Howard Chu @ Symas
This entry was edited (3 months ago)
in reply to Seirdy

Lykso
Lykso
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"User domestication" doesn't seem to be a universal mechanism for or even the primary driver of enshittification, though. It's the need under capitalism to produce endlessly rising profits for the capital class that drives enshittification. Openness can make it harder to "enshittify," but as long as there is pressure from capital, a way will be found (IMO).
in reply to Lykso

Seirdy
Seirdy
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@lykso You’re not wrong. I think that user domestication is a lens that makes the connection to investors and growth mindsets more obvious.

Likewise, I don’t think that user domestication is a phenomenon exclusive to capitalism. It can even happen on accident.

@Lykso
in reply to Cy

Seirdy
Seirdy
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@cy I would not compare this to enslavement without context and qualifiers. looks like you’re equating the two.

You could generalize to a broader concept that includes both, but I wouldn’t label this as a form of enslavement as that may dilute the word’s true meaning and history.

@Cy
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