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Here's my take on the #enshittification of internet technology over the 2010s, based on the word @pluralistic coined. I've added "developer enshittification" to the mix (see: React). https://cybercultural.com/p/enshittification/

However, I do end on a note of optimism: the decentralized web as represented by the fediverse, Mastodon and potentially Bluesky. "It's a new world for those who have chosen to leave the Enshittocene behind them. Won't you join us?"


The Enshittocene: How the Internet Got Worse in the 2010s

The 2010s was a period of the internet colonized by platforms, which caused 'enshittification' of web products. Users and developers both suffered, but are fighting back now through the decentralized web.
Cybercultural
#enshittification @Cory Doctorow
in reply to Richard MacManus

Richard MacManus
Richard MacManus
• •
I was particularly pleased to get this screenshot of Mastodon in there, which by coincidence included content that matched the sentiment I was going for to close the post. (thanks @timbray and @evan for the timely toots!)
@Tim Bray @Evan Prodromou
in reply to Richard MacManus

Evan Prodromou
Evan Prodromou
• •

so, you say that Mastodon is the biggest app built on ActivityPub. I assume you're measuring by number of users and not lines of code or screen size.

Is this still true? Threads is closing in on 300M MAUs. Some percentage of them have Fediverse sharing enabled. If it's even 5%, that's much larger than existing Mastodon user base. And Flipboard has 150M registered users and I think they're all on the Fediverse.

This entry was edited (3 weeks ago)
in reply to Evan Prodromou

Richard MacManus
Richard MacManus
• •
honestly I don't count Threads as being part of the fediverse any more, since they haven't enabled two-way federation. If/when they do, then (IMHO anyway) they will be part of the fediverse. Flipboard is a different matter, because they do support the fediverse in good faith. But would you say it's a full fediverse app, on the level of Mastodon?
This entry was edited (3 weeks ago)
in reply to Evan Prodromou

Eugen Rochko
Eugen Rochko
• •
I think a fair litmus test for whether something is a fediverse app would be if, moderation reasons nonewithstanding, you could follow your cosocial.ca account from it and vice versa. This is true for Mastodon, and true for Flipboard, but not currently true for Threads. I don’t think it’s a fallacy to think that.
in reply to Eugen Rochko

Richard MacManus
Richard MacManus
• •
@Gargron @evan well said Eugen. I replied at the same time, and removed Tim from the conversation (as he didn't ask to be in it...sorry Tim 😀)
@Eugen Rochko @Evan Prodromou

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