The Norwegian Consumer Council Forbrukerrådet recently released a nearly 100-page report, criticizing the technology industry for systematically degrading hardware and software performance to exploit consumers who have purchased products.The report uses the term "enshittification" to describe the current life cycle of technology products:Manufacturers first use high-quality products to attract users, then gradually reduce service quality to please business partners, and finally reap the rewards of both ends to maximize the interests of shareholders.
The report specifically points out that digital products can easily fall into this vicious cycle. The key is that manufacturers can remotely change product functions through OTA updates.
The most typical cases are Tesla's switch to a subscription-only model for its autonomous driving function on February 14, restrictions on printer cartridges, and smart washing machines that lose core functions or require additional payment due to software updates after purchase.
The report bitterly states that manufacturers can even completely scrap consumers' devices through a single OTA, turning one-time transactions into never-ending subscription expenditures.
In the field of gaming, the report also criticized the freemium model, which turns a one-time buyout game into a cash machine that continues to attract money through forced advertising and in-app purchases of virtual currency.
The report also affirms the EU's upcoming Right to Repair Directive, which will force manufacturers to reduce parts matching restrictions and allow third-party repairs. This will be a heavy blow to manufacturers and equipment ecosystems that have long been bound to original consumables and services.
In addition to the report, the Norwegian Consumer Council, together with 28 organizations including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Access Now, issued an open letter to EU policymakers, urging the strengthening of the implementation of the Digital Markets Act and the General Data Protection Regulation, and objecting to the European Commission's "Digital Package" plan to weaken existing consumer protections.
The alliance is fully promoting the Digital Fairness Act, which is expected to be proposed in the fourth quarter of 2026, focusing on combating addictive design, deceptive interfaces, and unfair personalized exploitation.
