NYTimes.com: We Didn’t Ask for This Internet

From The New York Times:

We Didn't Ask for This Internet

Cory Doctorow and Tim Wu explain why the internet failed to live up to its early promise.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-doctorow-wu.html?smid=em-share

Summary

The article features a conversation between Ezra Klein, Cory Doctorow, and Tim Wu about the evolution and deterioration of the internet, exploring the concepts of "enshittification" and "extraction." They discuss how tech platforms have shifted from empowering users to exploiting them, the role of monopolistic practices, and the societal impacts of surveillance, labour exploitation, and algorithmic manipulation. The discussion also touches on potential solutions, including regulatory reforms, privacy protections, and interoperability mandates.

Key Points

• The internet has not lived up to its early promise, becoming a platform for anger, outrage, and exploitation. 
• There is a growing concern about the negative impacts of giant tech platforms, including ads, sponsored content, political polarization, inequality, and labor exploitation. 
• Cory Doctorow introduces the concept of "enshittification," describing how platforms decay by prioritizing profit over user and business interests. 
• Tim Wu explains "extraction," where firms take excessive wealth or resources beyond the value they provide, comparing it to classic monopoly economics. 
• Facebook's evolution exemplifies enshittification, transitioning from user-driven content to algorithmic feeds optimized for profit and engagement. 
• Amazon's evolution into an extractive platform highlights its shift from empowering small businesses to charging excessive fees and prioritizing sponsored results. 
• Algorithmic pricing and surveillance practices exploit workers and consumers, leading to unfair outcomes and dehumanization, such as "bossware" and wage discrimination. 
• Competition in tech markets is often toxic, focusing on manipulation and addiction rather than creating valuable products. 
• Regulatory failures and lack of privacy laws enable surveillance and exploitation, emphasizing the need for stronger government action. 
• Solutions proposed include banning toxic business models, treating essential platforms as utilities, enabling interoperability, and enforcing antimonopoly measures. 
• The role of values in shaping economic regulation is critical, requiring courage and vision to prioritize societal well-being over pure market efficiency.