Breaking Free.
In the new report Breaking Free: Pathways to a fair technological future, the Norwegian Consumer Council has delved into enshittification and how to resist it. The report shows how this phenomenon affects both consumers and society at large, but that it is possible to turn the tide. Together with more than 70 consumer groups and other actors in Europe and the US, we are sending letter to policymakers in the EU/EEA, UK and the US.
justsomeguy@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Weirdest thing about this is that it would actually be comforting to me if there was a villain executing an elaborate plan. Instead it’s just greed that drives it. You put a regular joe through business school, give em a CEO position with shareholders breathing down their neck and they’ll start pushing shit down their customers throats in no time.
UniversalBasicJustice@quokk.au 2 days ago
Wouldn’t that make greed itself the villain? Turns out following a socioeconomic philosophy that can be boiled down to “Greed is Good” leads to deliberatively exploitative and harmful outcomes, even for the “winners.”
scratchee@feddit.uk 1 day ago
We’re always going to have a system that optimises (aka is greedy), it’s just a practical necessity. The issue is what gets optimised. The utopian solution is not to eliminate greed but to make incentives that lets people be greedy for maximum overall happiness (ie make sure people get paid the most when everyone is happiest with the outcome and the environment is minimally affected, etc).
NeilNuggetstrong@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Unchecked capitalism is just as bad as communism. Capitalism kept in check by proper regulations is good. That demands a well functioning democracy however, and is unfortunately quite rare.
JensSpahnpasta@feddit.org 1 day ago
Yeah - if there was a villain, we could build companies without villains. But since entshittification seems to be endemic, you can’t trust anybody. That nice cool startup claiming to “don’t be evil”? Wait a few years, change out some people and it will totally be doing evil things.