Theory of Global Enshittification

The theory, popularized by internet observers, that describes the inevitable lifecycle of digital platforms and, increasingly, everything else: first they're good to users, then they abuse users to benefit business customers, then they abuse both to benefit shareholders, and finally they become a hollowed-out shell of their former selves, optimized for extraction rather than utility. The theory of global enshittification explains why every app you love eventually becomes unusable, why quality declines as soon as a company goes public, and why it feels like the whole world is slowly getting worse in specifically annoying ways. It's not paranoia; it's capitalism.

Example: "He watched his favorite social media platform implement its thirtieth enshittification update—more ads, less content, features nobody asked for—and realized the theory of global enshittification was playing out in real time. The app had been good, then useful, then tolerable, and now it was just a slot machine designed to extract his attention and sell it to the highest bidder. He didn't delete it. That's how enshittification wins."

Theory of Global Enshittification by Dumu The Void February 15, 2026