Prompt's TechBlog
This Is What You Get When You Mess With Digg
02 May 2007
Posted by BBarnwell
Know the famous line from "Network" - "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"?
When consumers got mad at traditional media outlets in the past, their options consisted of the sternly worded letter to the editor or simply not supporting the product any further. Well, in the exciting moment of time we currently live in, a third solution has popped up: take over the outlet.
Recently, the decryption code for HD-DVD discs was found and disseminated throughout the Internet. Well, except for popular web portal digg.com, which not only axed postings containing the decryption code, but actually deleted the accounts of users posting the information.
The result? Users took over. Using Digg's system of voting to make stories and/or users more or less popular, dozens of stories discussing the topic and posting the code have become the top stories on the site (sample topic: "I want to share my new favorite numbers with everyone!"), all pushed to the top by Digg voters automatically giving topics the thumbs up. Meanwhile, posts by Digg administrator Kevin Rose have been given the thumbs down by countless readers, making his score dramatically lower and unreadable. The result: Rose has his website, but any credibility it has is currently being managed by its readers. Let the [insert color and/or flower] Revolution begin!
When consumers got mad at traditional media outlets in the past, their options consisted of the sternly worded letter to the editor or simply not supporting the product any further. Well, in the exciting moment of time we currently live in, a third solution has popped up: take over the outlet.
Recently, the decryption code for HD-DVD discs was found and disseminated throughout the Internet. Well, except for popular web portal digg.com, which not only axed postings containing the decryption code, but actually deleted the accounts of users posting the information.
The result? Users took over. Using Digg's system of voting to make stories and/or users more or less popular, dozens of stories discussing the topic and posting the code have become the top stories on the site (sample topic: "I want to share my new favorite numbers with everyone!"), all pushed to the top by Digg voters automatically giving topics the thumbs up. Meanwhile, posts by Digg administrator Kevin Rose have been given the thumbs down by countless readers, making his score dramatically lower and unreadable. The result: Rose has his website, but any credibility it has is currently being managed by its readers. Let the [insert color and/or flower] Revolution begin!
# posted by BBarnwell at 4:32 AM 
