Consumer Groups Unite to Halt the 'Enshittification' of Digital Services

A Global Stand Against Digital Decay

A widespread coalition of consumer advocacy groups has launched a campaign to combat the deterioration of digital products and services. Spearheaded by the Norwegian Consumer Council, the initiative targets the phenomenon known as 'enshittification'—the gradual degradation of user experience in favor of corporate profit.

To illustrate the issue, the council released a satirical video featuring an 'enshittificator' who sabotages household items, such as sawing off table legs or ruining socks. The metaphor highlights how digital services, from social media feeds to customer support chatbots, are systematically worsened over time.

The Definition of Enshittification

Author Cory Doctorow coined the term to describe the trajectory where platforms initially offer value to users to gain traction, only to later pivot and exploit them for profit once a user base is locked in. Finn Lützow-Holm Myrstad, the council's director of digital policy, argued that while society would reject such sabotage in the physical world, it has become normalized online.

'The status quo is not acceptable for anyone,' Myrstad stated, emphasizing that this decline is a result of policy choices, not inevitability.

Policy Demands and Public Support

The campaign involves more than 70 organizations across Europe and the United States, including trade unions and human rights groups. In a coordinated effort, these entities have urged policymakers in 14 nations to take decisive action. Their demands include:

• Strengthening enforcement of existing consumer protection and data laws.


• Fostering genuine competition in digital markets through public procurement.


• Empowering consumers with the right to modify, repair, and move between services easily.

Backing these demands is an 80-page report detailing how digital degradation became the industry standard. The campaign video has already garnered millions of views, suggesting a deep well of public frustration. Myrstad noted that the overwhelming response proves there is significant public support for regulatory intervention to 'turn the tide.'