Social news app, Digg, is preparing for relaunch, according to TechCrunch. The platform has been acquired by Kevin Rose, the original founder, and Alexis Ohanian, who co-founded Reddit. It was bought back from a digital media company, Money Group, for an undisclosed fee. 

Digg was founded in 2004 as a digital media platform that finds and shows interesting stories from across the internet. In 2012 the company was broken up and sold, with LinkedIn and The Washington Post buying some of its assets.

Digg was once a major rival as "the internet’s homepage." It is being rebuilt with a focus on AI-driven content curation and community engagement, Rose announced.

Digg’s vision to fit into the social media space

Rose says Digg’s vision is to combine artificial intelligence with human moderation to create a more balanced online experience. The goal is to avoid algorithms prioritizing outrage and foster real connections among users. How Digg will achieve its vision to remain relevant in the competitive social media space is a concern. 

Social media is changing and existing platforms are reshaping their strategies and expanding their efforts to meet consumers’ demand. X, for instance, has integrated AI-powered video feature, while Meta is enhancing its AI recommendations across Instagram and Facebook. Reddit, Digg’s long-time competitor, has been updating its platform to optimize engagement and monetization, and it plans to launch an AI search experience this year. But Digg may find inspiration in smaller but growing platforms like Bluesky, which has seen success. 

The company claims its system will support human moderators in curating meaningful discussions. Digg will use both AI and humans to keep things in check. The vision is to create a space that feels more human and connected. While AI will handle the boring, repetitive tasks, people will focus on building relationships and communities.

“Online communities thrive when there’s a balance between technology and human judgment,” said Ohanian. “We’re bringing Digg back to ensure that balance exists. AI should handle the grunt work in the background while humans focus on what they do best: building real connections,” he added.

Digg claims its task is to develop a platform where people learn from each other, share their passions, and engage each other sincerely. 

Leadership and funding behind Digg’s relaunch

Justin Mezzell, a former creative director at Yuga Labs, has been named Digg's CEO and will run the platform. Rose will serve as chairperson and advisor, while Ohanian will sit on the board. 

The relaunch is backed by venture capital, with investment coming from True Ventures, where Rose is now a partner, and Ohanian’s firm, Seven Seven Six.

Sign-ups open ahead of launch

A new version of Digg is in the works, and invites will soon be available. However, users can sign up on the platform’s landing page to receive updates.

The return of Digg is also being celebrated with the revival of Diggnation, a popular internet culture show co-hosted by Rose and Alex Albrecht. They have released new episodes of the show over the past six months, reconnecting with their early audience.

To mark Digg’s relaunch, a live Diggnation episode will air in Austin, TX, on March 8, 2025, and will feature special guests like Tim Ferriss.

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