Australia’s Macquarie Dictionary has announced its 2024 Word of the Year: “enshittification.” This term, coined by British-Canadian journalist Cory Doctorow in 2022, articulates a growing concern regarding the declining quality of digital services and products, particularly online platforms. The concept conveys the frustration many users experience when initial high-quality offerings gradually fade into a subpar experience, driven largely by profit motives. Through a critical lens, “enshittification” reflects a pervasive sentiment regarding the deterioration of services that once promised reliability and usability.
Defined by Macquarie Dictionary as the “gradual deterioration of a service or product brought about by a reduction in the quality of service provided,” enshittification is an increasingly recognizable phenomenon. Doctorow elaborates on this decline in a three-part process. Initially, digital platforms satisfy users, fostering engagement and trust. However, as the platforms aim to maximize profits, they begin to prioritize the interests of business customers over individual users, leading to user dissatisfaction. Eventually, this exploitation extends to business clients as the platforms search for ways to reclaim lost value, resulting in an overall decline in service quality for everyone involved.
Importantly, Macquarie Dictionary recognized enshittification in both the People’s Choice and Committee’s Choice categories, illustrating widespread resonance with the term and its implications. The committee characterized the selection as a “very basic Anglo-Saxon term wrapped in affixes which elevate it to being almost formal; almost respectable.” This statement underlines that enshittification, despite its informal roots, captures a significant and relatable narrative in today’s digital landscape—a narrative that hits close to home for many who traverse the complexities of modern technology.
In the selection process, enshittification surpassed notable contenders such as “rawdogging” (referring to long-haul flights without entertainment), “right to disconnect” (a legislative measure allowing employees to disengage from work communications after hours), and “brainrot” (a colloquial term for low-quality content). By naming enshittification the word of the year, Macquarie Dictionary acknowledges the pressing societal discourse surrounding declining quality in digital spaces, elevating the term beyond mere slang to a descriptor of a substantial cultural phenomenon.
The choice of enshittification highlights not only individual user experiences but also broader systemic issues within the digital economy. As platforms increasingly prioritize monetization at the expense of user satisfaction, the ramifications affect society’s relationship with technology. This lays bare a troubling trend that raises questions about accountability, ethics, and the future of digital services, urging a collective reevaluation of how we interact with platforms that could easily deteriorate over time.
The announcement of this word of the year aligns with similar recognitions from other dictionaries, including Collins Dictionary, which has chosen “Brat,” and Cambridge Dictionary, which selected “Manifest.” With Oxford Dictionary’s decision pending, it is clear that language reflects shifting social narratives and concerns. Enshittification encapsulates a collective realization and frustration around the technological experience, urging a call to action for users and creators alike to advocate for better, more sustainable practices in the digital domain.
