When UX Turns Hostile: Spotting (and Stopping) Enshittification

Recorded live at SocialWest 2025, this episode features Andrew Turnbull, Managing Director of UX and Product at Evans Hunt, in conversation with guest host Meredith McKeough. Together, they explore the growing problem of “hostile user design” and how large platforms are enshittification experiences in the name of growth.Andrew shares insights from over 15 years in UX, using the Sonos redesign as a cautionary tale of business decisions eroding user trust. The conversation moves from platform-level design trends to what smaller businesses can learn, and avoid. They dig into the systems thinking required to scale responsibly, how to balance growth with respect for your users, and why customer feedback is still your most powerful strategic asset.This episode captures the mood shift in 2025 toward more ethical, user-first digital strategies, and how marketers and designers alike can push back on enshittification by prioritizing clarity, consent, and long-term value.