Question 1

What is the difference between Enshittification and Planned obsolescence?

Accepted Answer

Planned obsolescence degrades a product you own. Enshittification degrades a position you are locked into. The lock-in, not the decay, is the actual mechanism — you stay because leaving costs you your data, your audience or your history.

Question 2

How do I know if I mean Enshittification rather than Planned obsolescence?

Accepted Answer

Readers who land here meaning Enshittification rather than Planned obsolescence are usually searching for phrases like “what is enshittification”, “why did the internet get worse”, “enshittification stages”.

Aspect	Enshittification	Planned obsolescence
Target	A platform position	A product
You can leave	Technically	Yes
Needs two sides	Yes	No
Ends in	Collapse	A new purchase

Side by side

Which one did you mean?

Enshittification

Read either one in full