Regulators Tackle Tech Platform Monopolists, Bringing Hope for a Better Future
PARIS: After 25 years as a blogger, campaigner for digital freedoms and virulent critic of big tech companies, Cory Doctorow is starting to see some green shoots of optimism.
The Decaying State of Tech Platforms
This is a big deal for an author who coined the term “enshittification” to describe the decay of today’s tech platforms. His analysis, which has leapt from his blog and into the mainstream over the past two years, describes how platforms lock in users and advertisers before making their products steadily worse as they transfer all remaining value to their shareholders.
On the phone from Los Angeles, Doctorow – also a prolific science-fiction writer – told AFP that tech companies acted like this because they “lack discipline”.
“If you don’t face consequences when you suck, you don’t have to try as hard,” he said. “And you can do things that are bad for other people and good for you.”
This explains why Facebook users’ feeds fill up with junk, Google search is loaded with ads and sponsored content, and why Amazon promotes cheap Chinese-made products no matter what a customer searches for.
Regulators Take Action
But regulators around the world are finally beginning to tackle the monopolists that they have allowed to flourish.
“We’re seeing the European Commission and the Federal Trade Commission and many other entities really taking this seriously, in a way that they haven’t for 40 years,” he said.
At the same time, he said users were finally beginning to desert the big platforms – as with the mass exodus from Twitter when Elon Musk took over and rebranded it as X.
“There’s a really good chance that simply making them face consequences for being bad will make them better,” he said.
One-Hit Wonder
If Doctorow sees reasons to be positive, it comes after 25 years of struggle, working with the Electronic Frontier Foundation “trying to get people to care about tech policy”.
His view of the tech industry still has room for dystopia – he can see firms using AI to spread an Uber-style algorithm-controlled pricing of goods to supermarkets and beyond.
And the 53-year-old is clear that what he once memorably termed “enshittification” is still going strong, despite the positive signs.
A Critique of the Tech Industry
Doctorow is a prolific science-fiction writer, having published well over 20 novels and non-fiction books. He is also a lecturer at the UK’s Open University, where he teaches about the intersection of technology and society.
Despite his successes, Doctorow has faced criticism and even ridicule from some quarters. In 2018, he engaged in a public spat with Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, over the latter’s handling of his electric vehicle company and its treatment of employees.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the tech industry is facing a turning point as regulators and users begin to push back against the monopolists that have dominated the landscape for so long. While there is still much work to be done, the signs are promising – and Cory Doctorow is cautiously optimistic about the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is “enshittification”?
A: Eshittification refers to the decay of today’s tech platforms, where they lock in users and advertisers before making their products steadily worse as they transfer all remaining value to their shareholders.
Q: Why are regulators finally taking action against the tech giants?
A: Regulators are finally beginning to take action because they are facing mounting pressure from users and the public to address the issues of privacy, security, and antitrust concerns.
Q: What is the significance of Elon Musk’s tweet about Iain Banks?
A: Musk’s tweet about Iain Banks is significant because it highlights the influence of science fiction on his vision for the future. However, Doctorow argues that Musk’s interpretation of Banks’ work is misguided and ignores the themes of social justice and human rights that are central to Banks’ writing.