A viral campaign led by the Norwegian Consumer Council has sparked global debate over what critics describe as the steady decline in the quality of popular digital platforms.

A widely shared video produced by the group features a self-described “professional enshitificator” adding intrusive pop-ups to websites, inserting extra advertisements into YouTube videos and triggering disruptive software updates. The video, which has drawn millions of views, is part of a broader effort to highlight the concept known as “enshitification.”

A platform becomes ‘enshitified’ when it introduces paid features or subscriptions that makes a user’s experience worse than it used to be. The term was first coined in 2023 by journalist Cory Doctorow, who argued that digital services often begin by prioritising users before gradually shifting toward profit-driven practices that degrade the experience.

According to the Norwegian Consumer Council, this trend is increasingly visible across major platforms. Over 70 advocacy groups from the United States, Europe and Norway have written to policymakers in more than 14 countries, urging stronger action to protect consumers and curb what they describe as anti-competitive behaviour.

The group’s analysis points to platforms such as Facebook as examples of how services evolve. Originally designed to connect friends and family, the platform now prioritises advertising and promoted content, often interrupting user activity with sponsored posts and algorithm-driven material.

Experts say the problem is tied to how digital markets operate. Finn Lützow-Holm Myrstad, the council’s director of digital policy, said companies are able to introduce these changes because users have limited alternatives. “It’s a deliberate process,” he said, noting that once users are locked into a platform, switching becomes difficult.

Economists highlight the role of the “network effect,” where a platform becomes more valuable as more people use it. This makes users reluctant to leave, even if the service declines. At the same time, companies introduce switching costs, such as data loss or the effort required to rebuild connections elsewhere, further discouraging migration.

Industry analysts also point to reduced competition following major acquisitions, including Meta Platforms’ purchase of Instagram, as a factor that has allowed platforms to prioritise revenue over user experience.

Regulators in Europe have introduced measures aimed at addressing these concerns. The Digital Markets Act seeks to open up dominant platforms to competition, while the Digital Services Act requires companies to assess risks and improve transparency. However, experts warn that enforcement has been slow and penalties insufficient to deter harmful practices.

Advocates are now calling for stronger rules, including proposed legislation such as the Digital Fairness Act, to address deceptive design and addictive features.

While digital platforms remain central to communication, commerce and entertainment, the campaign underscores growing frustration among users and calls for a shift toward services that prioritise transparency, competition and consumer rights.