Digg brought to its knees for removing HD-DVD crack

profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
edited May 2007 in Science & Tech
by profdlp and Winga

In what can only be described as a revolt, users of the top user-driven news portal on the 'net, Digg.com, brought the site to its knees in a protest over the removal of information from the website. The information described how to circumvent HD-DVD keys. Bypassing HD-DVD keys would allow users to make backup copies of their discs, but also would allow unauthorized duplication for piracy reasons.

The Advance Access Content System (AACS), which provides the technology to make HD-DVDs copy-proof, issued a cease and desist order after a Digg user posted links to a site describing how to bypass the copy protection. A message was posted on Digg by CEO Jay Adelson advising that they will be removing all links relating to the key after being served with a DMCA takedown notice.

Many Digg users were outraged at what they viewed as censorship and responded by repeatedly re-posting the link in new articles which numbered in the thousands. The front page of the site was bombarded with titles such as "Digg Punched me in the Face for Posting This." The entire front page eventually became filled with anti-Digg references and hundreds of links to the HD-DVD code. Within a few hours Digg was overloaded with posts on the subject and users began receiving 404 messages when trying to visit the website.

Digg CEO Jay Adelson begged for restraint at one point, but after the uprising had continued for about eight hours Digg staff member Kevin Rose released a statement on the Digg company blog saying that they were throwing in the towel and would no longer delete references to the controversial key information:

"After seeing hundreds of stories and reading thousands of comments, you’ve made it clear. You’d rather see Digg go down fighting than bow down to a bigger company. We hear you, and effective immediately we won’t delete stories or comments containing the code and will deal with whatever the consequences might be.

If we lose, then what the hell, at least we died trying. Digg on."

The AACS has not yet responded, but their DMCA takedown notice has ironically created an even greater awareness of the hack because of the backlash on Digg. The controversy has managed to make the front page of major news journals such as BBC News and Forbes and raises the question of just how far user-generated content can be censored.

Comments

  • GooDGooD Quebec (CAN) Member
    edited May 2007
    Hahah that's what can happen when people of a same community works together in the same goal ;)

    I like the last reply of Kevin Rose.

    I only hope that Digg won't get too much problems because of this. cuz This is a great news website !
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    Viva la revolution.
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited May 2007
    Wow that's awesome ;D
  • RADARADA Apple Valley, CA Member
    edited May 2007
    :shakehead I find this sad.

    So they caved to pressure from posters who want to post code that will allow people to steal others intelectual property. And this is good thing?

    To me this "backup" copy BS has more holes in it than the Titanic. I've had CDs for 20 years now that play as well as they did day one.


    Hope S-M never caves to this type of pressure.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    I rip my video DVDs to my hard drive to have them on hand as a matter of convenience. I prefer to have my favorite movies at my fingertips, rather than having to rummage through my DVD library on another floor of my house.

    This is nothing but a good thing.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    It sucks to be in Digg's shoes though, RADA, because they'll be seen as caving in to whoever they side with.

    Personally, I rip all of my CDs on day one. I've had some get discs get broken, lost, or scratched up that I've regretted not backing up. Lesson learned.

    Like Thrax, I also find having DVDs on my hard drive is more convenient. It's kind of a pain, though, so I don't do it often.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    Yeh, usher in fair use. If I own a song, movie, or what have you. I feel that I have every right to make a backup for whatever purpose as I see fit. As long as I'm not selling, sharing, or broadcasting that backup then I feel I have committed no offense.

    I find it very empowering that the users were able to make their opinions known. I'm actually very tired of the RIAA, MPAA, et al that just act like industry bullies. I won't get into it further, but I feel that civil disobedience is the best thing in our current situation.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited May 2007
    ...As long as I'm not selling, sharing, or broadcasting that backup then I feel I have committed no offense...
    I agree with that 100%.

    But, what do you do about the people who share three - or three-thousand - copies with their friends?
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    profdlp wrote:
    I agree with that 100%.

    But, what do you do about the people who share three - or three-thousand - copies with their friends?

    Personally? Become one of their three thousand friends ;)

    If I were the content provider? Give up. The crack has already popped up on (stylish) t-shirts. Not that the FCKGW t-shirt changed anything for Microsoft, though.
  • JengoJengo Pasco, WA | USA
    edited May 2007
    Viva la revolution.

    you mean: viva la revolución

    :)
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    I can find solutions to obscure PHP issues all day, but ask me to find the key combo for an accent and I get real lazy :p


    My favorite line regarding this: "Trying to take something off the Internet is like trying to take pee out of a pool" ;D
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    The revolution will not be televised.
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    The revolution will not be televised.

    It'll be on youtube?
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    Gargoyle wrote:
    The crack has already popped up on (stylish) t-shirts. Not that the FCKGW t-shirt changed anything for Microsoft, though.
    The DVD T-shirt link has been pulled. ;D
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    QCH2002 wrote:
    The DVD T-shirt link has been pulled. ;D

    Dang. I wanted one, but I figured they'd collect my $25AUD and have to use it to defend themselves in court ;D
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    shwaip wrote:
    It'll be on youtube?

    The revolution will be on YouTube, your friendly neighborhood torrent, and possibly spammed to you by somebody claiming to be a missionary in Ethiopia. I expect it to be sold on the iTunes music store for $.99 just as soon as the Apple people figure out how to capitalize on it.
  • GrayFoxGrayFox /dev/urandom Member
    edited May 2007
    Thrax wrote:
    I rip my video DVDs to my hard drive to have them on hand as a matter of convenience. I prefer to have my favorite movies at my fingertips, rather than having to rummage through my DVD library on another floor of my house.

    This is nothing but a good thing.

    Thank You Mr Thrax the voice of reason.

    I do the same thing with mine and I store them on my samba server for convent viewing on any machine in the house.

    For anyone who wants a more convenient way of ripping dvd's google "dvd rip vlc".

    Yes you can use everyones favorite video player to rip dvd's too.
  • MedlockMedlock Miramar, Florida Member
    edited May 2007
    The revolution will not be televised.

    I see what you did there. :p
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited May 2007
    QCH2002 wrote:
    The DVD T-shirt link has been pulled. ;D

    Now Thinkgeek has gotten in on the action with its own clever, if less colorful, design.
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