Enshittification
“Classic bait-and-switch.”
In our latest episode of Toonsplained, we tackle the oddly satisfying but incredibly tragic term “enshittification,” coined by internet critic Cory Doctorow. What does it mean? Enshittification describes the inevitable decline of every platform, app, or service that starts out great and free but eventually becomes a frustrating, money-grabbing mess. From social media to streaming services and now even AI tools, this phenomenon has turned the digital world into a dumpster fire of ads, paywalls, and upsells.
In this video, Ben, Stacey, and Father James break down how this cycle works. Platforms attract users with free features, then prioritize profit over user experience, ultimately making themselves unbearable. Stacey highlights how AI is now enshittifying personal communication, with predictive texts and auto-generated replies stripping humanity out of our conversations. Even Father James isn’t safe—he hilariously discovers that his virtual assistant has monetized divine intervention, proving that not even God is immune to the process.
But enshittification isn’t just about apps going bad; it’s about how greed ruins everything, from digital platforms to real-life social interactions. The cycle repeats because companies value profit over people, and we’re left to deal with the fallout.
Check out the full video to dive deeper into the ways enshittification impacts our online lives and why no platform—or even deity—is safe. Like and subscribe (before enshittification hits your favorite platform, too).
