If you’ve never heard of Digg, don’t worry — you’re not alone. Most Gen Zers (myself included) were probably too young (or were not even born yet) to remember it. But back in the mid-2000s, Digg was the place to discover viral news and trending internet content. It was kind of like if TikTok’s “For You” page and Reddit had a baby, where users could “digg” (upvote) or “bury” (downvote) posts to decide what went viral. Retro!
At its peak, Digg attracted around 40 million monthly users. However, after a series of redesigns and ownership changes, Digg’s popularity declined, leading to its sale in 2012. Fas- forward to 2025 and Digg is getting a reboot. Its original founder, Kevin Rose, is teaming up with Reddit’s co-founder (and Serena Williams’s husband), Alexis Ohanian, to bring the platform back — but with a twist. The new Digg will use AI to help moderate content and keep things running smoothly while still letting real users shape conversations.Â
Sounds promising, right? Here’s what else to know.
Why the Revival Now?
I think we can all agree that social media has changed a lot over the past 10 years. It’s gone from a place to connect and share ideas to, well… whatever it is now. With so many people feeling frustrated by the current state of social media — with bots, misinformation, and the endless cycle of doom scrolling — Rose and Ohanian are working to build a space that focuses on real conversations, genuine community engagement, and a break from the algorithm-driven chaos that dominates most platforms today.
To mark its relaunch, Digg made an appearance at South by Southwest (SXSW) on March 9 in Austin. The platform hosted a live 14-year reunion of “Diggnation,” a popular tech-focused podcast co-hosted by Rose and podcaster Alex Albrecht, along with special guests including Ohanian. This event served as both a nod to Digg’s rich history and an introduction to its future direction.
How Can I Sign Up For Digg?
Right now, the new Digg is invite-only, but the team plans to roll it out soon as both a website and a mobile app. But will it become the next big thing, or is it just another nostalgia-driven comeback that will fizzle out? Only time will tell, but if you’re tired of the same old social feeds, it might be worth keeping an eye on.