Digg, one of the web's early social news aggregators, has been revived under the ownership of its original founder Kevin Rose, who has joined forces with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. The duo aims to restore the spirit of discovery and genuine community that made the early web a fun and exciting place to be.

For those who may not remember, Digg and Reddit were once fierce rivals in the online social news aggregation space, launching within a year of each other some two decades ago. While Reddit has endured and even went public last year in a successful IPO, Digg's trajectory has been more tumultuous. The company was split into parts in 2012 and sold to incubator Betaworks, with LinkedIn and the Washington Post acquiring some of the assets. Digg later raised a strategic round of funding from USA Today owner Gannett, before landing in the hands of digital advertising company BuySellAds, which acquired a majority stake in 2018.

According to Rose, he has been approached several times over the years to buy Digg, but it never felt like the right time. So, what changed? Rose believes that the existing social media landscape has become toxic, messy, and riddled with misinformation, making it the perfect time to revive Digg with a fresh vision. He sees AI as a key component in addressing these issues, allowing users to dig deeper while removing the repetitive burden for community moderators.

Ohanian, who has had a storied history with Reddit, having left in 2009 and returned as chairman in 2014 before stepping down from the board in 2020, shares Rose's vision. "Online communities thrive when there's a balance between technology and human judgment," Ohanian said. "We're bringing Digg back to ensure that balance exists. Kevin and I are here to build something better than what social platforms are offering today."

Both Rose and Ohanian have invested in other companies through the years, and this experience has now intersected, with True Ventures, which counts Rose as a partner, and Ohanian-founded Seven Seven Six investing in Digg. While Rose will serve as Digg chairperson and advisor, and Ohanian will sit on the board, the new incarnation will be led by CEO Justin Mezzell, a longtime collaborator of Kevin Rose and seasoned product design leader.

A new version of the Digg platform is touted for launch soon, with invites being rolled out in the coming weeks. The revival of Digg marks an exciting development in the social media landscape, and it will be interesting to see how the platform evolves with its new vision and leadership.

The move also raises questions about the future of social media and the role of AI in shaping online communities. As Rose and Ohanian seek to create a better alternative to existing social platforms, they will need to navigate the complex issues of misinformation, toxicity, and community moderation. However, with their combined experience and expertise, they may just be able to create something truly innovative and impactful.

As the tech industry continues to evolve, it's clear that the revival of Digg is more than just a nostalgic throwback – it's a bold attempt to reimagine the future of social media and online communities. With Rose and Ohanian at the helm, Digg is poised to make a significant impact in the years to come.