Norwegian gov't consumer watchdog calls out ‘enshittification’ of video games, connected devices, and others — claims hardware deliberately degraded after purchase

The Norwegian Consumer Council released a report highlighting the deliberate degradation of hardware and software post-purchase by tech companies to generate more revenue from consumers. This practice, termed "enshittification," affects products like connected devices, printers, video games, and cars. The report emphasizes how digital products can be altered remotely through software updates, impacting functionality. The council also raised concerns about the EU Right to Repair Directive and urged stronger enforcement of consumer protection laws. Additionally, they called for the EU Digital Fairness Act to address issues like dark patterns and unfair personalization in digital products.