Enshittification

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What is enshittification?

The phenomenon of online platforms gradually degrading the quality of their services, often by promoting advertisements and sponsored content, in order to increase profits. (Cory Doctorow, 2022, extracted from Wikitionary) source

The lifecycle of Big Internet

We discuss how predatory big tech platforms live and die by luring people in and then decaying for profit.

Embrace, extend and extinguish

We also discuss how naturally open technologies like the Fediverse can be susceptible to corporate takeovers, rugpulls and subsequent enshittification.

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Trakt.tv has limited lists to maximum 2 of 100 items and watchlist to 100 items unless you pay $60/year (self.enshittification)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by whaleross to c/enshittification

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This is a new change because not enough people find their VIP features worth the money.

I'll be moving to TMDb instead. And you should know that Trakt would not exist without TMDb open and free database and API.

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[–] whaleross 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Reading that announcement and the list of their VIP offering is so weird. $6/mo for spoiler free browsing whatever that is, 100+ items on list, notes and collection (!) and then some technical features like iCAL/RSS and CVS export and of course a VIP badge next to your username. It seems to me they are targeting some social media revenue streams but struggling coming up with features that would motivate VIP so instead they cut back on what is already there. My guess is next step is locking down the API and then bullshit like influencers livestreaming reviews. Yeah, I'll move to TMDb and keep moving to something self hosted should they to go sludgy.

[–] shmanio 2 points 1 week ago

I agree with you about the API, it seems to be one of the first things to go.

Though, killing it would be expecially dumb in this case, as it is what made trakt famous in the first place. It's really useful to have a scrobbler for every major service, and I use it for a dumb side project.

I'd really like to know what else they think they are adding with their service that is worth $60/year. The data comes from tmdb, the trailers are youtube links, reviews and lists are created by users (when they are allowed to). Sure, they package it all together, but I wouldn't call the website a masterpiece of neither form or function.

I hope that the current backlash will make them (temporarily) revert the change, but this is still a clear signal of the path they are willing to take. I'll be looking for other services.