Digg

Digg: The Rise and Fall of an Internet Giant

Imagine a world where news isn’t just consumed but curated, where every piece of content is voted up or down, shaping the very fabric of internet culture. That was Digg, once a beacon in the vast ocean of online information. Launched as an experiment in 2004, it quickly became more than just a website; it was a phenomenon that changed how we interacted with news and content.

But what exactly is Digg? It’s an American news aggregator site where users could vote on the relevance of articles. The front page was curated based on these votes, making Digg a powerful tool for discovering new stories and trends. Its influence extended far beyond its user base, affecting everything from viral memes to political movements.

Now, let’s dive into the history of this once-popular site. Digg, in its current form, was launched on July 31, 2012. It had come a long way since its humble beginnings as an experiment. The site gained popularity so quickly that it inspired similar platforms like Reddit to emerge. But the journey of Digg wasn’t without its challenges.

From MySQL to Cassandra: A Major Transformation

The transition from MySQL to Cassandra was a significant change for Digg, reflecting the company’s commitment to innovation and scalability. This move aimed to improve performance and handle the massive amount of data generated by its user base. However, like many changes in tech, it wasn’t without its hiccups.

The CEO Changes: A Shifting Landscape

Jay Adelson stepped down as CEO on April 5, 2010, and Kevin Rose took over temporarily. This transition marked a new chapter for Digg, but it wasn’t smooth sailing. The v4 release was marred by site-wide bugs and glitches, leading to frustration among users.

Matt Williams, who took over as CEO in September 2010, aimed to address these issues. However, the launch of Digg version 4 faced criticism for its new design and removal of features. Kevin Rose promised to fix the algorithm and restore some features, but the damage was done.

The Sale and Relaunch

Digg was sold in three parts: the brand, website, and technology were sold to Betaworks for $500,000; 15 staff members were transferred to The Washington Post’s Code3 project for $12 million; and the patent portfolio was sold to LinkedIn for approximately $4 million. These sales marked a new beginning for Digg under new ownership.

The company was rebuilt from scratch by Betaworks in 2012, with surveys of existing users informing the development of a new user interface and experience. The new version featured an editorially driven front page, more images, and a scoring system. Increased support was given to sharing content on social platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

The Digg Effect: A Double-Edged Sword

While the relaunch brought some improvements, it also faced challenges. Issues arose due to organized promotion and censorship by users, often motivated by political or financial reasons. This led to attempts to game the site, with some users forming groups to promote or bury content for their own interests.

A diversity algorithm was developed to prevent special interest groups from dominating Digg, but its effectiveness was limited. The site also faced controversy over an encrypted key for digital rights management protection of HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc being displayed on its homepage in 2007. This led to a ‘digital Boston Tea Party,’ with users revolting against the policy.

The Final Days: A Drop in Traffic

Despite these efforts, Digg’s version 4 launch was initially unstable and received criticism for its new design and removal of features. Kevin Rose promised to fix the algorithm and restore some features, but it wasn’t enough. A rival site Reddit said the new version reeked of VC meddling, and users declared a ‘quit Digg day,’ using Reddit’s auto-submit feature to flood the front page.

The launch led to a significant drop in traffic, with publishers reporting fewer direct referrals from stories on Digg’s front page. New CEO Matt Williams attempted to address user concerns by promising to reinstate removed features, but it was too little, too late.

So, what can we learn from the rise and fall of Digg? It’s a reminder that in the ever-evolving world of technology, staying relevant requires constant innovation and adaptability. Whether it’s changing databases or facing user backlash, Digg’s journey is a testament to the challenges faced by tech giants.