Australia names 'enshittification' as Word of the Year for 2024

The term "enshittification" has been named Australia's Word of the Year for 2024. Coined by tech critic Cory Doctorow, it describes how online platforms prioritize profits over user needs, making the internet less user-friendly. The word reflects growing public frustration with social media and search engines that focus on ads and algorithms instead of user experience. It highlights a shift from quality services to profit-driven models. Doctorow outlines a three-stage decline of platforms: attracting users, exploiting them for business, and ultimately collapsing. He advocates for reforms to improve user control and competition in the digital space.