“Is Online Search Getting Worse? Cory Doctorow Explains 'Enshittification'” — what this page in the network covers. In this episode of 'Terms of Service,' host Audie Cornish explores why conducting an online search has become increasingly frustrating. These days, users must navigate through AI-generated summaries, sponsored results, and other clutter before reaching actual website links. Cory Doctorow, the writer who coined the term 'enshittification,' joins the show to explain why he believes search quality has deteriorated.
Doctorow defines 'enshittification' as the process by which platforms degrade their services over time to maximize profits, often at the expense of user experience. He discusses how platforms lock in users and extract value, leading to a decline in the quality of search results. The conversation also delves into Google's internal debates over search and revenue, and how the company became the dominant force on the internet. For the complete material, the listing points back to the source inside the network.