Agenda
7:15 - 8:30 p.m. Discussion
Event Summary
Why do the digital platforms we once loved eventually turn against us? In his 2025 book, Enshittification, Cory Doctorow explores the seemingly inevitable lifecycle of modern tech giants: first, they are good to their users; then they abuse their users to favor their business customers; finally, they abuse those customers to claw back all the value for themselves before eventually dying.
Join the Austin Forum for a provocative online book discussion on this critical framework for understanding the modern web. We will move beyond the cynicism to discuss the technical and policy "antidotes" that Doctorow proposes to keep the internet free, fair, and functional.
Our discussion will focus on the role of the technologist in resisting platform decay:
The Lifecycle of a Platform: Understanding the economic and technical incentives that drive companies toward "enshittification" and how to identify the warning signs early.
Adversarial Interoperability: Discussing the technical right to build tools that plug into existing platforms—even without their permission—as a way to return power to the users.
Building for Longevity: How technologists can design systems that are "anti-enshittification" by default, focusing on decentralized protocols, data portability, and user-centric architecture.
The Austin Tech Response: How our local startup and development community can build the next generation of "honest" platforms that resist the urge to capture and exploit their user base.
Whether you are a platform strategist, a software architect or developer, or a concerned digital citizen, join us to discuss how we can save the internet from its own worst impulses.
Attendance Instructions
Online via Google Meet
Once you register via Eventbrite, you will receive the direct link in your confirmation email. You will also receive the link in a reminder email before the event.
Space is limited, so please register only if you’re confident you can attend—and kindly cancel your registration if your plans change so we can open your spot to another participant.