The Slow, Sad Decline: Why Websites We Once Loved Are Getting Worse
Remember the early days of the internet? A wild west of quirky personal blogs, niche forums bursting with passionate communities, and websites that genuinely seemed designed to help you? Now, fast forward to today. Do those same sites spark joy? More often than not, the answer is a resounding no. But why? It’s not just nostalgia clouding our judgment. There are very real, and often insidious, reasons why the websites we once adored are slowly, but surely, becoming… worse.
Enshittification: The Core of the Problem
Cory Doctorow coined the term “enshittification” to describe the process by which online platforms degrade in quality over time. It’s a bleak, but accurate, portrayal of the life cycle many platforms experience. Initially, a platform woos users with attractive features and benefits. Then, once enough users are hooked, the platform shifts its focus to extracting maximum value, often at the expense of user experience. Finally, the platform becomes bloated, user-hostile, and ultimately, less valuable to everyone except the platform owners.
This shift often manifests in a few key ways: increased advertising, algorithmic manipulation, and the squeezing of third-party creators. Think of Amazon, for example. In its early days, it was primarily focused on selling books and providing a seamless shopping experience. Now, it’s a sprawling marketplace dominated by sponsored products, counterfeit goods, and a confusing array of search results. The user experience has demonstrably declined, but Amazon’s profits have soared.
The Allure (and Peril) of Algorithms
Algorithms are the invisible forces shaping our online experiences. While algorithms can be incredibly useful for filtering spam or suggesting relevant content, they’re also frequently employed to maximize engagement, often at the expense of quality and accuracy. Social media platforms are prime examples. Algorithms prioritize content designed to provoke strong emotions, leading to increased polarization and the spread of misinformation.
Furthermore, algorithms can create echo chambers, where users are only exposed to information that confirms their existing beliefs. This can lead to intellectual stagnation and a decreased ability to engage in constructive dialogue. What started as a tool to connect people has, in many ways, become a tool to divide them. Ultimately, algorithms can and often do work to reduce the quality of your internet experience.
The Death of Organic Reach and the Rise of Paid Promotion
Remember when you could post something on Facebook and your friends would actually see it? Those days are long gone. The decline of organic reach is a deliberate strategy employed by many platforms to force users to pay for promotion. Businesses and creators who once relied on organic reach to connect with their audience are now forced to pay to play.
This shift has several negative consequences. It favors those with deep pockets, stifling smaller creators and businesses. It also creates a pay-to-win environment, where the quality of content is less important than the ability to pay for promotion. This dynamic significantly degrades the overall quality of the online experience, leading to a more commercialized and less authentic internet.
The Future: Can We Save the Internet?
Is there any hope for reversing this trend? It’s a difficult question, but not impossible. One potential solution is to support independent platforms and creators who prioritize user experience over profit maximization. This could involve subscribing to independent newsletters, using open-source software, and supporting decentralized social media platforms.
Another crucial step is to demand greater transparency and accountability from the major tech companies. We need to understand how algorithms are shaping our online experiences and hold platforms accountable for the negative consequences of their actions. Ultimately, the future of the internet depends on our willingness to demand better and to actively support alternatives that prioritize quality, authenticity, and user well-being.
