In a first for any national government, Norway is taking regulatory action against what officials are calling enshittification—the deliberate degradation of digital platforms to extract more value from users.
The Norwegian government announced this week it will pursue policy measures targeting major tech platforms that systematically worsen their products over time. The move adopts terminology popularized by journalist Cory Doctorow, who coined the term to describe how platforms attract users with quality services, then degrade those services once they've achieved lock-in.
This isn't regulatory theater. Norway is putting actual policy teeth behind a concept that's been mostly academic until now. The question is whether democratic governments can actually force Big Tech to stop degrading their own products—or whether this will become another case of Europe fining American companies without changing their behavior.
The initiative comes as users worldwide complain about declining quality across major platforms. Twitter has eliminated features while increasing subscription pressure. Google search results have deteriorated as SEO spam and AI-generated content flood the index. Amazon has transformed from a retailer into an advertising platform where genuine products compete with knockoffs.
Norway's approach focuses on transparency requirements and quality standards. Platforms operating in Norway would need to disclose when they degrade features or increase advertising load. They'd face penalties for using dark patterns—interface designs that manipulate users into choices benefiting the company at user expense.
The technology is impressive. The question is whether anyone needs it. Actually, in this case, the question is whether governments can enforce it. Norway is a small market. Platforms could simply exit rather than comply. But if the EU follows Norway's lead, suddenly we're talking about real pressure.
Digital rights advocates applaud the move. "For years we've watched platforms deliberately make their products worse while claiming it's progress," said one Oslo-based privacy researcher. "Norway is finally calling it what it is."
