They brick you because they can

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the concept of "enshittification" - the decay of digital platforms and services due to the unconstrained pursuit of profit by companies that have achieved monopolistic power. It examines how companies use various legal and technological means to lock in customers, extract more value, and prevent competition, even retroactively removing features or functionality that customers have already paid for.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Scorpion and the Frog

1. What is the moral dilemma presented in the story of "The Scorpion and the Frog"? The story presents the moral dilemma of whether a fundamentally selfish or harmful entity can be expected to act against its own nature, even when constrained by external factors. The scorpion stings the frog despite the frog's trust, explaining that it is simply in his nature to do so.

2. How do capitalism's philosophers attempt to resolve this dilemma? Capitalism's philosophers argue that by constructing a system where a business's self-interest aligns with making others better off, through competition and regulation, the selfish acts of businesses can be transformed into altruistic outcomes.

[02] The Rise and Fall of Monopolies

1. What is the "consumer welfare" theory of antitrust enforcement, and how does it view monopolies? The "consumer welfare" theory of antitrust enforcement holds that monopolies are evidence of "efficiency" - a business that is so good that everyone chooses to patronize it to the exclusion of all others. This theory was used by pro-monopoly economists to justify a hands-off approach to antitrust enforcement.

2. What happens when a monopolistic business is no longer constrained by competition? Without the constraints of competition, a monopolistic business will revert to unconstrained selfishness, clawing value away from workers and customers.

[03] The Enshittification of Digital Platforms

1. What is "enshittification" and how does it occur in the digital realm? Enshittification, or platform decay, is the result of a collapse in constraints on digital companies that have captured their markets. These companies can use their power to flout privacy, labor, and consumer protection laws, and lobby for expanded intellectual property rights to shut out competitors.

2. What are some examples of how digital companies can retroactively alter or remove features and functionality that customers have already paid for? Examples include:

• Bricking "smart home" products, requiring a subscription to continue using them
• Bricking devices like sous vide gadgets, ultrasound bone growth stimulators, and cars after a certain number of uses
• Removing the ability to use printers in standalone mode without a subscription
• Discontinuing support for neural implants, effectively bricking part of a customer's brain

[04] The Role of Regulation and Right to Repair

1. How do Right to Repair laws help address the issue of enshittification? Right to Repair laws, such as the one recently passed in Oregon, restore discipline to companies by protecting the right to reverse-engineer their products and keep them running after the manufacturer has decided to discontinue support or remove features.

2. What is the significance of iFixit's decision to end its partnership with Samsung, and how does it relate to the issue of enshittification? iFixit's decision to end its partnership with Samsung, which provided parts and manuals to customers, is a result of Samsung's increasing hostility towards repair. This demonstrates how companies like Samsung are unwilling to allow customers to maintain and repair their own devices, in line with their enshittificatory impulses.