It was a term coined to describe the step-by-step process modern tech platforms go through:
- be good, get customers, grow
- get large enough to corner market, concentrate on profits
- get large enough to move to politicise their approach, drive out competition through aggressive tactics, and lock in consumers
- drive more profit through dark patterns and ensure nobody wins but the stakeholders
It's specifically that, and there wasn't a word that described that process previously, as it's only something that's possible in a modern, "web scale" worldwide platform.
And that's because SpaceX at least try to minimise pollution (both light and radio). Not successfully, but it's minimised.
The Chinese don't give a fuck, just like they don't give a fuck who their toxic rockets land on when launched over their own people.