Talking over Zoom from Los Angeles, Canadian-British journalist and tech activist Cory Doctorow offers a candid take on the dynamics of power in the tech industry. “If Elon Musk was broke, he’d just be another asshole with bad ideas,” he asserts, surrounded by shelves filled with books and eclectic objects that reflect his materialist approach to technology criticism.
Doctorow’s latest book, Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It, delves into how the internet, once a beacon of utopian ideals, has devolved into a landscape dominated by monopolistic tech giants. His term “enshittification,” which was named Macquarie Dictionary’s 2024 Word of the Year, describes the process by which lax antitrust regulations have allowed Big Tech to become pervasive rent-seeking entities.
The Concept of Enshittification
Doctorow explains that enshittification is evident in the way platforms like Airbnb, Uber, and Netflix have evolved. Initially offering better and cheaper services, they now exploit user data to maximize profits. “In the book, I call it twiddling,” he says, highlighting how Uber’s pricing varies based on users’ data profiles, leading to unfair charges.
As digital life expanded, enshittification infiltrated everyday objects, from smart thermostats to baby cradles. “Your ability to keep your smart thermostat going in the middle of summer is contingent on whether you click through the licence agreement,” Doctorow notes, emphasizing how ownership has shifted from consumers to corporations.
Science Fiction as a Tool for Critique
In addition to his activism, Doctorow is a prolific science fiction writer. His short story “Unauthorised Bread,” part of the Radicalised collection, explores a dystopian world where appliances are locked to proprietary products. The narrative serves as a metaphor for the broader issues of enshittification, resonating with readers and critics alike.
Doctorow’s work in science fiction challenges the “inevitabilist” narrative of tech, encouraging readers to question and reimagine the social structures surrounding technology. “The job of science fiction is to tear apart how that product works and its social arrangements,” he explains.
Nostalgia and the Stagnation of Big Tech
Reflecting on the past, Doctorow discusses the cycles of creative destruction that once characterized the tech industry. Companies like IBM and Microsoft were once broken apart by antitrust actions, paving the way for new giants like Google. However, this process has stalled, with today’s tech behemoths consuming competition and stifling regulation.
“Nostalgia is a toxic impulse,” Doctorow quotes, yet acknowledges its role in reminding us of a time before corporate dominance. His mechanical breakdown of tech power dynamics serves to deconstruct the claims of tech leaders and advocate for user privacy.
Advocating for Change
As a privacy advocate with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Doctorow has witnessed firsthand the decisions made in boardrooms that impact billions. He recounts an instance where a typical household was defined in a way that restricted digital television subscriptions, highlighting the disconnect between decision-makers and real-world diversity.
Doctorow suggests that countries like Australia could become havens for reverse-engineering, breaking monopolies and fostering innovation. He envisions a future where tech sectors thrive by challenging the status quo, a concept that seems almost like science fiction.
In closing, Doctorow reflects on the notion of home, both physical and digital. “In some ways, home is my hard drive,” he says, underscoring the materiality of the digital world he navigates daily.
