Digg’s original founders are making a detour from the now-normal websites filled with AI-generated content. They want to build a platform that prioritizes humans, not machines.
Kevin Rose, founder of the original Digg, has teamed up with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Together, they’re bringing Digg back to life to create a space where authentic human voices thrive.
The “Dead Internet”
Alexis Ohanian addressed a tugging concern at The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything conference.
He spoke about the “dead internet theory,” the idea that most online content today is no longer human-made.
Years ago, this idea sounded like a conspiracy; now, it feels like reality. Ohanian believes many posts and discussions are generated, or at least assisted, by AI, and not always for good reasons.
Some content aims to manipulate, mislead, or simply flood our feeds with noise. He warned that most people don’t realize how much content is created by bots or AI-enhanced users.
“We’ve passed the Turing test,” he said. “And the internet no longer feels fully alive.”
Placing Trust Over Traffic
Digg’s new strategy focuses on trust. Rose and Ohanian want to give people better tools to build healthy communities.
They’re also thinking differently about who gets to be part of those communities. For example, they are exploring tools like zero-knowledge proofs.
These are cryptographic methods used to verify ownership or identity, without giving away personal data. These could help verify whether a user is actually human.
Digg may also assign different access levels depending on how trustworthy or “human” a user appears. Someone using a throwaway email or VPN might face extra steps.
They could be asked to verify a phone number or even pay a small fee. Meanwhile, long-time users with proven histories might earn more freedom.
Tech With Values
The founders are not against AI, they plan to use it behind the scenes. AI can help with moderation, like calming heated arguments or flagging harmful content.
Rose pointed out how early machine learning often pushed strange or harmful content to the top. While some of it sparked healthy debate, much of it spread fringe ideas. And with bots now able to mimic humans, the risk is higher than ever.
So, they want Digg to feel like the early web again: less noise, more meaning.
Community Builders
Another key point the founders stressed: community leaders deserve compensation. Moderators, creators, and contributors do real work.
Right now, many do it for free, even though platforms make millions from their efforts. Rose wants to fix that.
He pointed to Reddit’s handling of “WallStreetBets” as a mistake. Reddit trademarked the name, despite it being created by a user.
Digg, he says, should reward users who create valuable spaces, not take ownership of their ideas.
Moderators could earn a share of ad revenue. Creators might monetize their communities. These changes could lead to a stronger, fairer platform.
A Return To What Made The Internet Great
Digg once stood as a pillar of Web 2.0. At its peak in 2008, it was worth $175 million. But it faded as social media giants took over.
Now, with AI reshaping the web, Digg sees a second chance. Ohanian and Rose believe people are ready for a better option.
