A tech observer argues that "enshittification" — the theory that platforms deliberately degrade to serve business interests — doesn't match reality. The data shows social media usage and user satisfaction have both grown consistently, and what feels like decay to early adopters is just platforms evolving to serve their now-global, much larger user base.

• Usage metrics contradict the enshittification narrative: Instagram and other platforms have seen 140% growth in monthly active users over a decade, with daily usage time increasing year-over-year and satisfaction scores rising from 70 to 75 (out of 100) since 2020.
• What critics call platform decay is actually feature-need misalignment felt by early adopters whose goals no longer match the platform's direction. A 55-year-old using Instagram in 2025 has different needs than a college student in 2010, but that doesn't mean the platform got worse—it just serves different people now.
• Platforms make decisions based on actual user behavior (revealed preference), not complaints. People claim to hate algorithmic feeds, Reels, and ads but keep using them, showing the gap between what people say and what they do.