"The Rise and Fall of Digg: Internet Democracy's Spectacular Collapse" - In 2010, Digg was poised to be sold to Google for a reported $200 million. Four months later, its user base had collapsed by 90%, and its value plummeted. What happened? In this episode of Lost On the Internet, we investigate one of the most spectacular self-destructions in tech history.

Before Reddit dominated social aggregation, Digg pioneered the concept of "voting" content to the front page. We'll explore how founder Kevin Rose became a tech celebrity, gracing magazine covers and building a platform where ordinary users could determine what news mattered. Through interviews with former Digg power users and employees, we uncover how the "Digg effect" could crash websites by sending millions of visitors in minutes.

But Digg's real story is about betrayal. Learn how the infamous "Digg v4" redesign removed the platform's core feature - the down vote button - triggering a user revolt that happened in real-time. We'll analyze the fascinating 24-hour period where users coordinated to flood Digg's front page with links to their competitor, Reddit, effectively committing platform suicide.

This cautionary tale reveals how tech companies can destroy thriving communities by ignoring user feedback, and how power users can bring down even the most successful platforms. It's a story about internet democracy, Silicon Valley hubris, and the thin line between explosive growth and catastrophic collapse.

Perfect for tech enthusiasts, business strategists, and anyone fascinated by digital sociology. Whether you were part of the great Digg migration or just interested in how online communities can implode, this episode offers unprecedented insight into one of the internet's most dramatic downfalls.

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