What happens to a web2.0 site when “user generated content” is getting out of control? The site managers surrender to the community!
On may 1st, 2007, a groundbreaking step in the history of user generated content and web 2.0 has been made.
Digg.com, one of the leading social bookmarking websites with over 2 million daily visitors, was forced to surrender to the power of their users.
What had happened?
- A digg user had posted a HD-DVD AACS Processing Key number which allows anyone to crack the copyright protection of HD-DVDs.
- Digg.com management was forced to take this post down and forbid the key from being posted again, after they had received a cease and desist order from the companies behind the HD-DVD.
What happened next?
- Digg users started to revolt against this decision - 100s of posts containing the same decryption key were dugg, 1000s of comments were posted
- Digg started to delete these new posts and also deleted user accounts posting them
Finally, Digg surrendered to the power of their users - and announced that they will stop deleting topics containing the HD-DVD encryption key and instead face the legal consequences - the risk of being sued by the large companies behind the HD-DVD.
Is user generated content getting out of hand?
This decision definately is a milestone in the history of web 2.0 and user generated content - a victory for freedom of speech on one hand, but also warning for all other web 2.0 site owners.
User generated content is a powerful tool to build up large communities but digg’s example has shown that this power may get out of hand, leaving the site operators no choice but to obey the conviction of the community.
The future of Digg.com: lawsuits? fines?
Most fortunately, Digg will be facing lawsuits and sentenced to pay a heavy fine on this.
Let’s hope that the Digg users who were diligently posting and digging the stories about the HD-DVD decryption key are as diligent when it comes to donating to Digg’s lawsuit fines, because that’s what makes a great online community - when all users care for the well-being of the company behind the site as much as the company is caring for them.
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