Why Your Favorite Apps Seem to Get Worse Over Time (It's Not Just You!)

Hook 'Em In: Why Your Favorite Apps Feel… Worse?

Remember when your go-to social media app felt exciting and new, or that streaming service was a commercial-free dream? Fast forward to today, and it's probably overflowing with ads, harder to navigate, and maybe even missing those features you loved. Sound familiar? You're definitely not alone! This feeling that your favorite apps are losing their sparkle is incredibly common, and no, you're not imagining it [0], [1].

This isn't just your imagination, nor is it simply "tech going bad." There's a powerful, often hidden reason behind this decline. What you're experiencing is a recognized pattern, often explained by a fascinating (and slightly unsettling) idea called 'enshittification' [2].

We're going to pull back the curtain on why so many of the online services we rely on seem to "rot" over time. We'll introduce you to 'enshittification' – a catchy term coined by writer and activist Cory Doctorow – and explain exactly what it means for your everyday digital life [3].

The "Enshittification" Staircase: How Good Apps Go Bad

What It Is, Simply Put: Imagine a company building a beautiful, welcoming playground. At first, it's amazing and free (or super cheap) to get everyone to visit. But then, to make more money, they slowly start adding fences, charging for the swings, and eventually, it becomes less about fun and more about squeezing out every last penny. That, in a nutshell, is 'enshittification' – the slow, gradual decline of online services [5]. This predictable pattern of apps and platforms getting worse was even chosen as the American Dialect Society's Word of the Year in 2023 and Australia's Macquarie Dictionary's Word of the Year for 2024, showing just how widely understood it has become [4], [5].

Stage 1: Luring You In (Making It Great for Users): This is the "honeymoon phase." Companies offer incredible features, low prices (or even free access!), and a super smooth experience. Their main goal is to attract as many people as possible [7]. Think back to early Facebook, which started as a simple online directory for Harvard students, or Uber's initial "tap a button, get a ride" simplicity that completely removed the hassle of hailing a taxi [8].

Apps use clever tricks to hook you during this stage, almost like a psychological "Hook Model." They provide a "variable reward"—something satisfying but unpredictable, like a new post on social media or a "like"—which keeps you coming back, much like a slot machine [6]. They might personalize your experience, like Spotify creating "Discover Weekly" playlists just for you, or use gamification, like Starbucks rewarding you with "stars" for purchases [6]. Many successful apps even started as "Minimum Viable Products" (MVPs) – very basic versions focused on just one core feature, like Dropbox launching with only a video demonstration [6].

Stage 2: Squeezing the Businesses (Making Money Off Creators/Sellers): Once enough users are hooked, the company shifts its focus to the people or businesses providing content or services on their platform. They start charging higher fees, taking a bigger slice of the pie, or making it harder for creators to reach their audience without paying extra [10].

• Analogy: Imagine the playground owner now charging the ice cream truck extra to sell popsicles. To make up for it, the ice cream truck has to raise its prices [11].
• Example: Etsy, the popular marketplace for handmade goods, increased its transaction fee for sellers from 5% to 6.5% in 2022 [12]. This means sellers keep less money from each sale. Similarly, major app stores (like Apple's App Store and Google Play Store) typically take a hefty 15-30% commission on app sales and in-app purchases. While smaller developers might get a reduced rate, once they earn over $1 million annually, the full 30% cut kicks in [9], [10]. For creators, platforms like YouTube make it harder to earn ad revenue unless they meet strict subscriber and watch-time requirements, pushing them to rely on premium subscriptions or other features [12]. It's like the app platform becomes a "gatekeeper," controlling access to its huge user base and charging a hefty "rent" for it [9].

Stage 3: Draining the Users (Making Money Off YOU): This is where things really start to go downhill for you. With less reason for businesses and creators to stick around, and the platform still needing more money, they start adding more ads, making it harder to find what you want, pushing paid features, and generally making the app less enjoyable to use [14].

• Analogy: The playground is now full of billboards, the swings cost extra, and you have to walk through a gift shop just to get to the slides [15].
• Example:
  • Instagram's feed has become dominated by ads and "suggested content" from accounts you don't even follow. What was once a place for friends is now a mix of sponsored posts and content designed to keep you scrolling, even if it's not what you came for [16].
  • Netflix famously used to tweet "Love is sharing a password." Now, they've cracked down on password sharing and consistently raised prices, forcing users to pay more or subscribe to ad-supported tiers [16].
  • Search results (especially on Google) are increasingly filled with sponsored links. When you search for something, the first few results are often paid advertisements, pushing the genuinely helpful, unbiased information further down the page [16].
  • Many apps also use "dark patterns"—sneaky design tricks that manipulate you into making unintended purchases, signing up for unwanted subscriptions, or giving away more data than you realize [13], [24].

Why This Cycle Keeps Happening: The Business Brain

The Network Effect Trap: When a platform gets really big and lots of people use it (like Facebook or Amazon), it becomes incredibly valuable. It's tough to leave because all your friends are there, or all the products you want are listed there. This "stickiness" gives the platform immense power [18].

• Think of it like: Being the only grocery store in a small town. You can raise prices because people have no other choice [19]. This "winner-takes-it-all" logic means that once a company gains a significant lead, it's incredibly difficult for new competitors to break in [19].

Chasing Growth, Not Just Goodness: Publicly traded companies are under immense pressure to show constant growth to their investors [20]. If they can't attract new users, they have to find ways to get more money out of their existing users [20].

• The pressure cooker: Wall Street demands more profits, which can sometimes mean prioritizing revenue over user satisfaction [21]. This leads to a constant dilemma for app developers: fix existing bugs or build new, flashy features that might attract investors, even if they contribute to "feature bloat" and make the app more complex [17]. This pressure can lead to aggressive money-making tactics, like more intrusive ads or pushing "freemium" models where the free version becomes frustratingly limited [21].

The Data Goldmine: These platforms collect vast amounts of information about us [22]. This data is incredibly valuable for targeted advertising, allowing them to sell your attention to advertisers more effectively [22].

• The hidden cost: When something is "free," you're often the product, not the customer [23]. Apps collect everything from how you interact with the app to your precise location, and a surprising 80% of this data is used for purposes unrelated to the app's core function, primarily for advertising and marketing [23]. This "data goldmine" allows them to show you highly personalized ads, turning your attention into revenue for them [22].

So, What Does This Mean for Your Digital Life?

Becoming a Smarter User: Understanding 'enshittification' helps you realize that the decline you see isn't a flaw, but often a built-in "feature" of the business model [25]. You can be more aware of why your feed looks messy or why new features feel annoying [25]. Knowing that apps are intentionally designed to keep you engaged, sometimes to the point of "digital addiction" with features like infinite scrolling, helps you take control [24].

The Search for Alternatives: As popular platforms decline, you might notice new, smaller, more user-friendly alternatives popping up. This understanding might encourage you to seek out and support these newer services [26]. For example, when Twitter (now X) underwent significant changes, many users migrated to alternatives like Mastodon, Bluesky, or Threads [27]. Similarly, users frustrated with ads on YouTube have sought out alternative apps that offer ad-free playback [26]. These smaller apps often focus on a specific niche, providing a more streamlined and user-friendly experience than the "bloated" giants trying to be everything to everyone [26].

The Future of the Internet: This concept highlights a bigger question about how we want the internet to work. Do we want a few giant, powerful platforms that control our data and experiences, or a more diverse, user-centric ecosystem where power and data are spread across many different users and computers [28]? Concepts like "Web3" aim to shift control from big companies back to users, giving you greater ownership over your data and digital identity [28].

Your power: While it can feel frustrating, recognizing this pattern empowers you. Your choices as a user, and your voice, can influence how these platforms evolve [29], [32]. By mindfully consuming digital content (setting boundaries, curating your feeds, using "Digital Wellbeing" tools) [32], exploring alternative services that prioritize privacy, and advocating for user-first platforms through reviews and feedback, you contribute to a better digital future [ref:ref:29, ref:ref-32].

The Big Picture: You're Not Crazy, It's Just Business

The Takeaway: The next time your favorite app feels like it's gotten worse, remember 'enshittification.' It's a powerful concept that explains a lot about our digital world [31]. It's not just you; it's often a deliberate shift by companies to maximize profits [30], [31]. This isn't necessarily due to lazy developers, but rather intense corporate pressure to constantly grow revenue [3].

Your Agency: While it can feel frustrating, recognizing this pattern empowers you. You can choose to be more mindful of your digital consumption, explore alternative services, and advocate for platforms that truly put users first [32].

Stay Curious: The internet is always changing, much like a constantly expanding city [33]. Understanding these underlying forces helps you navigate it with a clearer head and a smarter approach. From the early "read-only" internet (Web 1.0) to today's interactive (Web 2.0) and emerging "smart" internet (Web 3.0), the digital world is a dynamic place [33]. Your awareness is your superpower in this ever-evolving landscape.