Enshittification

1291 readers

1 users here now

What is enshittification?

The phenomenon of online platforms gradually degrading the quality of their services, often by promoting advertisements and sponsored content, in order to increase profits. (Cory Doctorow, 2022, extracted from Wikitionary) source

The lifecycle of Big Internet

We discuss how predatory big tech platforms live and die by luring people in and then decaying for profit.

Embrace, extend and extinguish

We also discuss how naturally open technologies like the Fediverse can be susceptible to corporate takeovers, rugpulls and subsequent enshittification.

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

hydra@lemmy.world

182

Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year (arstechnica.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by friend_of_satan@lemmy.world to c/enshittification@lemmy.world

25 comments fedilink hide all child comments

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] manualoverride@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

Owning that space in peoples homes is the point, I bought them just for controlling my lights via voice, but the screen started as a clock and weather report and now shows adverts almost constantly.

I’m looking at HomeAssistant as a replacement but you have to realise that unless you are tech savvy, you probably don’t even know HomeAssistant exists let alone know how to set it up for your requirements.

[–] PriorityMotif@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

Not only that but it requires constant maintenance.

[–] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

No, it just requires people to run normal fucking updates like literally EVERY piece of software does, even the canned bullshit from corpos.

[–] manualoverride@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Having to do any manual step is beyond what the Echo devices require, they just reboot themselves randomly one day and boom, a whole new new set of features for advertisers.

[–] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Ohh, fully auto updates turned on by default on a shitty IoT device? A hacker's wet dream.

[–] manualoverride@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Not sure who you think you are advising here, but I suspect Amazon is making sure their echo devices are on the high end of security, any vulnerability will get a lot of press attention.

For Home Assistant and other more open devices this is the problem, you either accept a lot of tinkering ensuring it’s updated, working and secure, or it fails the wife/parent test.

Apple, Google or Amazon devices are just too easy in comparison, but you have to put up with the intrusion and ads.

A lot more people are willing to sacrifice data and adverts for convenience.

[–] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Everyone is finding out the hard way that it is a lot worse than some ads.

[–] manualoverride@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

What has happened?

load more comments (3 replies)

load more comments (5 replies)