Overview
Cory Doctorow discusses his new book "Inshitification," explaining the decay of digital platforms, the role of regulatory failures, and global antitrust responses. The conversation covers system-wide issues in big tech, the influence of regulatory and legal frameworks, and recommendations for meaningful resistance.
Concept of Inshitification
- "Inshitification" describes the predictable pattern of platform decay: serving users, then businesses, then degrading both for profit.
- This progression isn't always premeditated but results from the removal of external constraints on companies.
- Constraints such as competition, regulation, and worker power previously checked harmful corporate behavior.
Role of Regulation and Antitrust
- The decline in antitrust enforcement allowed tech monopolies to form and persist.
- Policy decisions like the Digital Millennium Copyright Act blocked user empowerment (e.g., ad blockers).
- Lax enforcement and legal precedents, influenced by industry-funded judicial education, undermined antitrust effectiveness.
Case Studies and Historical Context
- Google, despite high profitability, worsened its services due to lack of regulatory checks, not financial pressure.
- The shift in antitrust ideology (e.g., Robert Bork's philosophy) led to judicial leniency towards monopolies.
- Historical antitrust cases (e.g., DOJ vs. IBM) illustrate the difficulty of confronting mature monopolies.
Global Antitrust Momentum
- Recent years have seen a resurgence of antitrust action worldwide (EU Digital Markets Act, UK, Canada, Australia, China).
- International case sharing is possible because tech companies engage in the same practices globally.
- Political coalitions against wealth concentration are forming, cutting across ideological boundaries.
Strategies for Change
- Individual consumer choices are unlikely to meaningfully impact monopolies; systemic change requires political movements.
- Local and state-level activism, such as the Electronic Frontier Alliance, can challenge tech abuses.
- Building broad coalitions and leveraging successful legal/regulatory strategies across borders is key.
Recommendations / Advice
- Engage in collective action and support political movements targeting monopoly power.
- Participate in local and state initiatives to regulate technology and protect rights.
- Personal consumption changes are valid for well-being but not as primary levers for systemic change.
Where to Find the Book
- "Inshitification" is widely available in bookstores and platforms that don't enforce digital lock-in.
- Doctorow's ebooks/audiobooks are available at craphound.com/shop, offering full ownership rights.