Digg critics allege vast right wing conspiracy [FreeRepublic mentioned]

TG Daily ^ | August 6, 2010 | Starr Keshet

[2ndDivisionVet]

AlterNet is claiming that it has uncovered a "widespread campaign of censorship" executed by a group of "influential" conservative and right-wing Digg members.

The site - which defines itself as a viable "alternative to the commercial media onslaught" - refers to Digg as both a "behemoth" and a "powerhouse."

"The [Digg] model [makes] it very susceptible to external gaming whereby users from certain groups attempt to push their viewpoint or articles to the front page to give them traction," claimed senior news editor "Oleoleolson."

"But the inverse of this effect is more devastating, as Bury brigades could effectively remove stories from the upcoming sections by collectively burying them."

According to Oleoleolson, a nefarious conservative group known as the "Digg Patriots" is so "organized and influential" that it is capable of burying over 90% of articles within 1-3 hours.

"This group is the heart of a complicated web on various networks, including Twitter, Propeller, StumbleUpon, YouTube and Facebook, all dedicated to ramming an extreme right wing viewpoint down the throats of those communities and censoring opposing viewpoints," he alleged.

"This includes such means as cyber stalking, bullying and terror. There is also a heavy contingent active on the ultraconservative FreeRepublic."

Oleoleolson - who described the Digg Patriots as "Teabagging wingnuts" - also accused the group of "loving to hate."

"They hate Obama. They hate progressives. They hate the UN, diplomacy, and peace/disarmament efforts. They hate reforms of health care, Wall St., and immigration. They hate science, in fact many are creationists.

"They hate the secular nature of our nation. They hate environmental protection, unions and any attempt to level the playing field to give all Americans economic opportunities. They hate abortion rights. They hate public schools and really hate higher education." 



Unsurprisingly, Digg reacted cautiously to AlterNet's rather hysterical charges, saying only that it had begun an investigation of the allegations.

"[We are] focused on launching digg v4, but we're looking into this," Digg spokesperson Kevin Rose confirmed in a Twitter post.

When pressed for additional details, a Digg PR rep told TG Daily "that's all we are saying for now."

[RedWing9]

Teabagging Wingnuts

As a Teabagger and fan of the Detroit Red Wings I take solace in this admonition... LOL

[txhurl]

Or you could just justify yourselves by proving you contributed 5K to FR since January.

[Liberty Valance]

What’s a Digg?

[Eaker]

Dude, I can’t keep from laughing.

I am doing 60 hour weeks so I must go but keep posting as I need a laugh with my coffee in the morning.

Please don’t disappoint me.

Pablo is not only wily, he is very wily!

[Eaker]

vOr you could just justify yourselves by proving you contributed 5K to FR since January.

Pablo will not disclose that without a subpoena.

[txhurl]

Fine, keep up with your clicque.

The rest of FR will just be whatever.

[kcvl]

http://www.facebook.com/oleoleolson

http://blogs.alternet.org/oleoleolson/wp-content/avatars/67867.jpg

Ole Ole Olson is the Senior News Editor and Chief New Media Strategist for News Junkie Post

http://tinyurl.com/32djvt5

[Salamander]

“Clique” not “clicque”.

I don’t even know what a clic que is.

Something you baste and then grill, maybe?

[txhurl]

So you get the meaning and spelling of clique or however.

Let's just Fn BBQ and get over this.

[shibumi]

I have just returned from dinner with Pablo.

He informs me that Jimmie has signed up for rehab/counseling for his "furry habit" and has completed Exclamation Point detox. He is enrolled in a class in Remedial English, with emphasis on punctuation.

I questioned Pablo on his association with clicks, cliques, clicques, clocks, Texans and twits and all he would say is that he considered it very bad form to ask other FReepers how much $$$ they give.

He did mention in parting that he is having a BBQ this weekend and that in attendance would be his pet Caique who, having been once owned by Miriam Makeba and Stokely Carmichael only speaks in Xosa "clicks", but never in front of cliques of Caiques.

The Caiques' favorite phrase (other than the "click"?):

"Can you Digg it?"

[Semper Mark]

"I am doing 60 hour weeks..."

Me too. 60+.

And I could sure use a foot rub.

Any volunteers?...

[Vendome]

Well that Clacks me up.

I dig it baby!

Hang Ten.

[Vendome]

LOL

I was listening to FoxNews on Sirius and they ran an Ad for “Fresh Balls”!

That’s right.... Them.

There is even a girls version.

http://www.sofreshsodry.com/

Too funny

[Allegra]

We all know why I won't second guess Pablo ..........

Pablo's got it going on!

[Allegra]

I am doing 60 hour weeks...

Yep...I'm doing between 70 and 80. But there's not all that much else to do around here anyway.

Except catch up on sleep...

[Allegra]

Fine, keep up with your clicque.

I'm not in the clique.

I've been rejected because of my time zone.

This clique has some very strict rules.

Pablo still hangs out with me, though.

[shibumi]

You know, there are those of us (ahem!) who are in the “correct” time zones who are just plain old sleep-dysfunctional.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

If they can call us teabaggers why can't we call them c--k s---ers?

It is amazing what they can get away with!

[Salamander]

We’re going to duel at dawn with beer bottles?

Now you’re talkin’!

[Salamander]

[brought to you by the department of redundancy department]