We analyzed 500+ platforms across 12 industries to understand the current state of enshittification. Spoiler: it's going great (for shareholders).
Methodology
Our research team spent six months analyzing platform changes, pricing modifications, feature removals, and user complaints across the digital economy. We also monitored 50,000+ Reddit threads tagged with variations of "this used to be free" and "why is this app so much worse now."
The data is clear: enshittification is accelerating.
Key Findings
Finding 1: Ad Load Has Reached New Heights
Average ad load across social platforms increased 34% year-over-year. Instagram now shows an ad every 3.2 posts, up from every 5.1 posts in 2023. YouTube pre-roll ads are now 47% longer on average, with "skip" buttons appearing 2 seconds later than last year.
The winner? A certain short-form video platform that has achieved what we call "ad-content parity"—you literally cannot tell what's an ad anymore. Brilliant.
Finding 2: The Freemium Squeeze Accelerates
Features that moved from free to paid this year:
Finding 3: Subscription Fatigue is a Myth
Despite 73% of consumers reporting "subscription fatigue" in surveys, subscription revenue grew 28% across our sample. This confirms our hypothesis: people complain but pay anyway.
This is the fundamental insight of enshittification economics.
Finding 4: Shrinkflation Goes Digital
It's not just snack packages getting smaller. Digital shrinkflation is real:
Finding 5: Cancellation Complexity Correlates with Revenue
We found a 0.73 correlation coefficient between "number of steps to cancel" and "customer lifetime value." Every additional cancellation step = 8% higher LTV on average.
The industry leaders require an average of 7.3 steps to cancel. Laggards allow single-click cancellation like it's still 2015.
Industry Breakdown
Streaming: A+
Password crackdowns, ad tier introductions, constant price increases. The streaming industry has embraced enshittification with open arms.
Social Media: A
Algorithmic feeds optimized for engagement over user preference, creator fund shell games, API lockdowns. Excellent progress.
E-Commerce: B+
Good progress on junk fees and deceptive pricing, but still too easy to return items. Room for improvement.
Software/SaaS: A-
Subscription-only models are now standard. Some companies still offer perpetual licenses, dragging down the grade.
Automotive: B
Subscription heated seats pioneered, but regulatory pushback is a concern. Watch this space.
Banking/Fintech: Incomplete
Heavily regulated industry limiting extraction potential. We're working on it.
Predictions for 2025
1. At least one major platform will charge for previously-free DMs
2. "AI features" will be used to justify 30%+ price increases across SaaS
3. Subscription bundling will create cable TV 2.0 (the thing everyone cut the cord to escape)
4. A major retailer will introduce "surge pricing" for checkout lanes
Conclusion
The enshittification economy is thriving. Platforms continue to find new ways to extract value from users and business customers alike. Resistance is minimal because, frankly, where else are people going to go?
The future is extractive. Invest accordingly.
This report is satire. The data is made up. But somehow it still feels accurate, doesn't it?