HD-DVD Scandal Could Spell the End of Digg.com

Digg.com is likely facing a series of lawsuits that may well end this popular user-driven news site forever. The website went through an incredible and unprecedented series of transformations in a 24-hour period starting on the first of May. Site administrators went from removing articles referencing a certain copyrighted code to banning users who submitted such articles, all before the founder of Digg (Kevin Rose) embraced the code and published it openly in a story headline. This last move both violated Digg's own Terms of Service and broke applicable copyright laws, ignoring a Cease and Desist order telling the site not to list the code.

The entire fiasco started with a hexadecimal string that decrypts HD-DVDs and Blu-Ray discs. This string was released to the public months ago on the Doom9 forum by a user named Arnezami, and has been circulating around the internet ever since. Few people (including Digg administrators) realized that the string had already been linked to from Digg.com numerous times, and had been posted to Digg comments as far back as early February.

On May 1st, however, a user posted a story more explicitly displaying the code. After this link was removed, the user reposted the same basic story that ended up receiving over 15,000 'Diggs' on the site making it front-page news. This story was removed as well, which caused an uproar in the Digg community. Within hours, the entire front page of Digg.com consisted of stories that reposted or linked to the illicit hexadecimal string. Digg users claimed that Digg was actively engaging in censorship of information.

Initially, Digg administrators removed stories displaying or linking to the contentious code as fast as possible. After banning a number of users, the site had to first disable new story submissions before finally shutting down entirely for a short period of time. Realizing there was no end in sight to the open revolt, Digg founder Kevin Rose capitulated to popular demand and reposted the hexadecimal string in a new story headline.

Beyond the legal implications of Rose's decision, there are a good deal of unanswered questions concerning the motivation of Digg administrators in both banning the code initially and then embracing the code openly. For one thing, the DiggNation show received sponsorship by the HD-TV Promotion Group. It is thus easily arguable that the initial decision to block the code from the site was economically motivated. Once users rebelled, it is also equally likely that Digg folded to user demands for reasons of self-preservation rather than out of a concern for freedom of information. Further, Digg removed a number of stories and comments in the midst of the debacle that criticized Digg or discussed the code but did not openly display it.

For legal and ethical, reasons, this story does not link to sources: most potential sources contain the code in question or direct links to it. However, the code (as well as stories about it) is easily accessible across the internet. Google news is a good place to start seeking more information. Updated details may also be available on the Digg.com blog as well as in popular web news sources like Wired and Slashdot. For other current and past information on Digg.com and related scandals, visit Allsux.com.