What is enshittification?
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Think about these questions before watching. Share your ideas with a partner.
- Can you think of a specific app, website, or tech product you once loved that has become frustrating to use over time? What specific changes made it worse?
- When a company makes a popular service less user-friendly, for example by adding more ads or putting features behind a paywall, what do you think their main motivations are? Is it always just about profit?
- Describe a time you felt 'trapped' by a service or brand. For instance, it became worse or more expensive, but switching to an alternative seemed too difficult. What makes it so hard to switch?
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Watch the video carefully. Pay attention to the main ideas and key details.
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Vocabulary
Vocabulary
These expressions will help you communicate more naturally about the topic discussed in the video.
Examples
To cut corners — to do something in the cheapest or easiest way, often by sacrificing quality.
Usage note: This is an informal idiom used to criticize a decision to save money at the expense of quality. 'The new app is full of bugs; it feels like they really cut corners on development.'
A bait-and-switch tactic — a dishonest strategy where a customer is attracted by a good offer (the bait) which is then changed to something less desirable (the switch).
Usage note: Use this to describe a business practice that feels deceptive. 'Offering the service for free and then putting essential features behind a paywall is a classic bait-and-switch tactic.'
To lock someone into an ecosystem — to make it difficult or inconvenient for a user to switch from one company's products or services to a competitor's.
Usage note: This is common when talking about tech giants. 'Once all your photos are on their cloud, they've effectively locked you into their ecosystem, making it hard to leave.'
To monetize a user base — to generate profit from the people who use a service, for example through ads, selling data, or subscriptions.
Usage note: This explains the business reason for many negative changes. 'The platform was great until they decided to aggressively monetize their user base with constant ads.'
To degrade the user experience — to make interacting with a product or service less pleasant, efficient, or satisfying.
Usage note: This is a slightly more formal but very precise phrase, perfect for a review or complaint. It's a good alternative to 'make it worse'. 'The latest update degraded the user experience by adding unnecessary pop-ups.'
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Grammar: Causative verbs (have, get, make)
Grammar
Causative verbs are used when one person or thing causes another to do something. They are perfect for discussing the topic of 'enshittification', as they help explain how a company can cause a negative experience for a user.
Examples
The company made me pay for a feature that used to be free.
Use 'make + person + base verb' to show that someone is forced to do something.
I had my free cloud storage suddenly reduced by the platform.
Use 'have + object + past participle' when you arrange for someone to do something, or when something is done to you or your possessions.
I can't believe I got my printer disabled by a software update just because I used third-party ink.
'Get' is often used in the same way as 'have', but is slightly more informal. It can also imply that you managed to do something, or in this case, that something negative happened.
Key points
- 'Make' implies force or no choice (they made me watch an ad).
- 'Have' and 'get' are used when another person performs the action (I had my data sold).
- Avoid using 'to' with the base verb after 'make' and 'let' (Incorrect: They made me to subscribe).
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Useful phrases: Complaining about a decline in service quality
Vocabulary
As the video shows, many digital products and services seem to get worse over time. Here are some practical phrases you can use to complain about this or discuss it with friends, using natural, B2-level English.
Examples
"Am I the only one who thinks [product name] has gone completely downhill lately?" — A great way to open a conversation and seek agreement.
Register: Informal/Neutral. Perfect for starting a conversation with friends or on an online forum. The phrase 'gone downhill' is a common idiom for a decline in quality.
"It feels like they're just cutting corners to save a bit of money." — Used to speculate on the reason for the decline in quality.
Register: Neutral/Informal. Use this when you suspect a company is sacrificing quality for profit. It's a slightly softer way of making a direct accusation.
"The whole thing feels like a classic bait-and-switch tactic." — A way to describe a dishonest business strategy.
Register: Neutral. This is a specific and powerful phrase for when a service's initial promise isn't met, and you're pushed into a less desirable or more expensive option.
"What really gets me is how they lock you into their ecosystem." — Emphasises your main point of frustration.
Register: Informal. The phrase 'what really gets me is...' is a very natural way to introduce your biggest annoyance. It shows strong personal feeling about the issue.
"They've completely degraded the user experience with all the recent changes." — A more formal way to criticise the usability of a product.
Register: Neutral/Slightly formal. This is excellent for a written complaint or a more serious discussion. 'Degrade the user experience' is precise and sounds knowledgeable.
"Honestly, I'm at the point where I'm actively looking for an alternative." — States your final decision or next step.
Register: Neutral. This shows you are serious about your dissatisfaction. 'Actively looking' is stronger than just 'looking' and indicates you've moved from complaining to taking action.
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Complete the sentences with the phrases from the box. One phrase is extra.
Word bank
01To meet the aggressive launch date, the software company was accused of deciding to on security protocols, leading to a major data breach.
02The mobile carrier was fined for using a by advertising a cheap plan that was almost impossible for new customers to actually get.
03By making their messaging app and cloud storage work seamlessly together, the tech giant aims to and make it difficult for customers to leave.
04After years of offering a free service, the app's new owners are now looking for ways to by introducing a paid subscription model.
05Many long-time users complain that the recent updates, filled with intrusive ads, only serve to rather than improve it.
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Choose the best answer based on what you heard in the video.
01What is the fundamental strategy the speaker uses to 'enshittify' a product or service?
02According to the video, what is the speaker's preferred method for dealing with a competitor who creates a better alternative service?
03What innovation did the speaker identify as the key to scaling up his business without working himself to death?
04The speaker gives several examples of 'enshittification'. Which of the following is NOT a method he mentions in the video?
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Business tactics and user experience
The video discusses how companies can make products and services worse over time. This exercise looks at some of the vocabulary used to describe these tactics.
Match the beginning of each sentence with its correct ending.
A
B
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Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.
- Is it always unethical for a company to degrade the user experience in order to monetize its user base, or is it a necessary part of business survival in a competitive market? Explain your reasoning.
- Think about a major service provider in your country (e.g., a phone company, a bank, or a popular local app). Have you seen them use tactics like those in the video, such as cutting corners or trying to lock users into their ecosystem? How do people generally react to this?
- The video suggests this is a deliberate strategy. Do you think it's usually a conscious bait-and-switch tactic from the beginning, or does it happen gradually as a company grows and faces pressure from investors? What are the long-term risks for a company that does this?