Elias Mårtenson on Nostr: What does enshittification look like? Well, most of you know what it looks like, but ...

What does enshittification look like? Well, most of you know what it looks like, but here's another example.

Today I was biking in an area I had never been to before, going on a bike route that takes the route of an old railroad line.

I needed to go back where I came from, so I asked google maps for a bike route back. It recommended a 43 minute route that began with going in the opposite direction, and then snaked its way via small side roads to where I needed to go. The bike road I was on wasn't even properly marked.

I then when to OsmAnd (openstreetmap for android) and it gave me a 30 minute route that started by turning back on the same road I was, back for about 10 minutes and then pretty much straight back.

I think I know why this is. Google Maps no longer exists to make navigation easier. For users, it's become little more than a vehicle to provide connections to businesses. Taking it a bit more abstractly: Its real goal it's all about location-based advertising, and bikers don't make them any money.