Digg, the revamped version of Kevin Rose’s former link-sharing platform, is reducing its workforce substantially, as announced on Friday. Despite the layoffs, CEO Justin Mezzell clarified that the company is not shutting down. Rose will now focus on Digg full-time while continuing as an advisor at True Ventures.
Digg’s aim was to provide an alternative to existing community forums for sharing links, media, and discussions. However, it struggled with bot interference from the outset. The company initially underestimated the scale and impact of bots, which Mezzell discussed in a post on Digg’s website referencing the “dead internet theory.”
During the Digg beta launch, SEO spammers exploited Digg’s Google link authority, leading to a realization of the significant presence of AI agents and automated accounts. Despite banning thousands of accounts and employing various anti-bot strategies, the bot issues persisted, undermining the reliability of user votes.
Mezzell noted that this is a wider internet problem, not just a Digg issue. The challenge of competing with established rivals, such as Reddit, was likened to facing a formidable wall rather than just a barrier.
The company did not specify the number of employees laid off but mentioned that a small team would continue to evolve Digg into a unique offering. The Digg app was removed from the App Store, and the layoff announcement remains the site’s sole content. However, the Diggnation podcast, hosted by Rose, will still proceed.
Previously, Rose and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian acquired the remaining assets of the old Digg, planning to empower communities with more control. The acquisition involved True Ventures, Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six, S32, Rose, and Ohanian, though financial details were not disclosed.
Digg did not provide further comments.