Enshittification is ruining everything online (Lock and Code S07E01)

The Malwarebytes piece published on 11 January 2026 explores the concept of enshittification as a business strategy that degrades online services for short-term gain. It cites digital rights activist and author Cory Doctorow, quoting him as describing how platforms harm users and then gradually tighten the screws on both buyers and sellers.

The article explains that enshittification begins with how services attract new users, then invites businesses to sell to those users, and finally makes things worse for business customers and the platform’s own interests. Examples discussed include platforms such as Facebook, Google and Amazon, which are said to shift priorities away from everyday users toward monetisable interactions, including paid brand visibility and higher fees for discovery.

The piece frames this as a systemic pattern rather than an accident, and notes that the conversation is part of a broader interview on the Lock and Code podcast with host David Ruiz.