The power of Web 2.0 is in full effect over at Digg, where users are revolting over Digg's decision to pull a story (that netted over 15,000 diggs) and reportedly boot a user for posting the HD-DVD AACS Processing Key number, which would allow someone to crack the copy protection on an HD-DVD. The front page (along with two and three) of Digg consists entirely of stories flaunting the number or criticizing Digg for its actions. Update: Fresh screencap, gallery of first four pages and thoughts after the jump.
While it might not have proven to be the best course of action in hindsight, we seriously doubt that Kevin Rose's decision to pull the story revealing the HD-DVD key was selling out or intentionally betraying the community. A number of people have pointed out that HD-DVD is a Digg sponsor, and have used that fact to level such charges at Kevin.
We have sponsors too, but that doesn't ever mean we'd sell out our readers or alter our content because of those sponsors. Kevin has equally shown nothing but commitment to the Digg's users, community, and site's integrity. People should hear out his explanation for this move before wholesale trashing Digg's founder.
That said, tonight's been a watermark in social media, even just looking at the ingenious (and often hilarious) variations users have come up with to cram the key into headlines, comments and users invites. Personal favorite so far: "Digg deleted my hard drive for posting the HD-DVD KEY! Now my hard drive refuses to write in binary. I get Error Code: 09-F9-11-02-9D-74-E3-5B-D8-41-56-C5-63-56-88-C0 . Oh, noz."
Update, Kevin responds: Digg This: 09-f9-11-02-9d-74-e3-5b-d8-41-56-c5-63-56-88-c0 [Digg Blog]
Digg's Explanation [Digg Blog]
Thanks, Slacker