The internet feels broken. That isn't a glitch, it's a deliberate design.
Cory Doctorow, on The Ezra Klein Show, describes this systematic degradation as "enshittification." It's a process where platform monopolies first offer value to users, then extract it for business customers, and finally funnel profits to shareholders. This economic "extraction," as critic Tim Wu frames it, captures wealth far beyond the actual value provided.
This deliberate design contrasts sharply with the internet's early promise. Fernando Nikolic argued on TFTC that the internet initially destroyed the information asymmetry that allowed institutions like the church, state, and legacy media to control narratives for centuries. These gatekeepers held monopolies on truth, dictating facts or divine will.
The digital age exposed the flaws of central banks, the biases of media, and the overreach of governments. This transparency, Nikolic suggests, is a core driver of current societal upheaval, revealing institutional rot faster than ever before. Bitcoin's rise, for example, thrives in this environment where foundational lies are laid bare.
Yet, the same powerful force that exposed old institutions has created new ones. The internet’s monopolistic platforms now control the digital public square, mimicking the gatekeeping of previous eras but with a new economic incentive structure. Users are locked-in, not empowered.
This shift means problems on the internet no longer feel like bugs to be fixed. Instead, as Doctorow observed, they are by design, unfixable within the current system. Reclaiming the internet requires rejecting this fatalism, breaking platform monopolies, and restoring competitive pressure needed to prioritize user well-being.
Cory Doctorow, The Ezra Klein Show:
- I think when I was a lurker on the early internet and I saw things that sucked, I would think someone's going to fix this and maybe it could be me.
- And now when I see bad things on the internet, I'm like, this is by design and it cannot be fixed because you would be violating the rules if you even tried.
