# If a service reduced their free offerings later, how would you interpret it?

**URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/if-a-service-reduced-their-free-offerings-later-how-would-you-interpret-it/36382
**Category:** Off Topic
**Created:** 2026-03-18T12:26:51Z
**Posts:** 35
**Showing post:** 12 of 35

## Post 12 by @win11.shading291 — 2026-03-18T16:35:27Z

> [@Firefox new features: freemium VPN, tab notes and more](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/firefox-new-features-freemium-vpn-tab-notes-and-more/36351/22):
>
> Enshittification is mainly the result of a company having multiple different types of customers with opposing needs.

Not necessarily customers. Here’s a summary:

1. **Early stage** : Platform is generous to users to attract adoption (subsidized features, low fees, great UX)
2. **Middle stage** : Platform shifts focus to lock in business customers (merchants, advertisers, creators)
3. **Late stage** : Platform extracts maximum value from all users, degrading service quality while raising prices/fees

In last stage, there can be stock owners for instance that push companies to do things against their customers.

> [@anon25722375](#):
>
> Enshittification is inevitable because of primarily a few reasons

It’s not inevitable if you’re not greedy though. Enshittification clearly doesn’t need to happen:

- Wikipedia
- Valve
- Nintendo
- Costco
- Patagonia

I’m sure there are more.

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