Banned From Digg - Reported For Spam. How to Resolve?

[Lynn Terry]

To start, let me say that I have never 'dugg' my own content. I am not even sure if I even have a Digg account (probably, but I can't recall ever using it).

Earlier this year one of my blog posts got a lot of Digg's - and shortly after my blog's domain (ClickNewz.com) was banned from Digg. If you try to digg one of my posts it will tell you "this domain has been reported for spam".

Is there anything I can do about this, or any way to lift the ban? If not, I'll have to remove the option (Digg button) from my blog. But I hate to remove the option for my readers who want to add one of my links to their account.

Solutions? TIA!

[Rick Olsen]

Lynn - Don't know what TIA means. Have you tried using their contact form?

[David Jackson]

Earlier this year one of my blog posts got a lot of Digg's - and shortly after my blog's domain (ClickNewz.com) was banned from Digg. If you try to digg one of my posts it will tell you "this domain has been reported for spam".

Is there anything I can do about this, or any way to lift the ban?

Lynn, I know this seems obvious, but have you tried contacting Digg's administration directly to explain your side of the story? That's what I would do.

If you do that and still can't get any satisfaction, I really don't know what else that you can do.

David Jackson

[AlexNewell]

I have heard of other people having the same problem. Digg have always been very hostile to marketing and lots of diggs to a marketing blog would seem suspicious to them.

Nothing to lose from following David's advice...

We'll keep digging you anyhow!

[Lynn Terry]

I realize I can make contact and plead my case. I'm more interested in hearing from others on their experience with this, and whether they got resolution or not - and if so, specifically how.

I'm not familiar with the politics of Digg, though I know they exist, and I'm looking for some advice before I proceed...

[NicoleDean]

I noticed that you had been banned this summer when I went to Digg one of the posts that I'd done on your blog during my tour.

They're kind of stinkers, as was mentioned above. I get much more traffic from StumbleUpon.

No advice. Just that I think it's "their way or the highway" pretty much.

[Lynn Terry]

I'm pretty sure there's some secret, like I have to treat some "big digg" (ha!) over there to sushi, or send one of the mods a big box of gourmet chocolates, or something. Somebody knows the trick... I'm hoping they'll share it with me. :cool:

[PpcJen]

I know the secret, and I am writing a $77 report on it now. I'll send you the link when it's ready
:D

Just kidding! Of course.
I just couldnt resist. Kathleen Gage has me all "tuned in" to spotting big problems and finding a way to solve them for people. I guess I overstepped the line with this one. Haha!

Seriously, I do not know of a way around it. I have heard that once they label your site, they are pretty ruthless. But that seems unfair to me.

I will ask around my circles and see if I can get some ideas for you.

[Lynn Terry]

LOL - Thanks, Jen! ;)

[PpcJen]

No luck, Lynn. I'm sorry.
I got several responses and they were all along the lines of "contact Digg and explain".
Good luck with this one!

[Lynn Terry]

Okay *sigh* off to beg fordiggness... :)

[wade_watson]

Your sushi and chocolate idea cracks me up.
I'm no Digg expert, but I once actually recommended your site to founder Kevin Rose's girlfriend, Melody McCloskey, through Twitter and she tweeted back that she liked it. I doubt if tweeting Melody or even Kevin would help with this though. I'm pretty sure Digg has a few layers of bureaucracy about things like this. I guess all those marketer who habitually digg they're own stuff has them pretty callous. Maybe if we start a campaign on your behalf. I'm game. I've always suspected that there's some sort of "inner circle" of diggers that have more say on that site than others. I suspect if we could find somebody with great Digg standing, who'd help, we might get some attention. Anybody know somebody?

[Lynn Terry]

Thanks, Wade.

I am less worried about Digg for marketing, as I am that my readers use the button and would obviously like to Digg and share certain posts. I never actually digg my own content as I mentioned before, but it stinks that they do a disservice to my readers. It'd be a different story if I had ever spammed their index, but that's just not the case...

[MaryGallagher]

It may have something to do with their categories of "diggdom" - If you could find out what area "spam" is identified from, you may be able to work around it, by asking digg techs to format a button to be "dugg" in a particular category. That's the most frustrating thing about digg to me and I have used that button on your site a couple times, Lynn. When I want to share about something, I don't want to sift through too many choices to id what the post or site is about. Make sense?
Best,
Mary

[AlexNewell]

I've done some exploring on this and it seems that small groups of "Diggers" veto blogs and that is it.

Official Digg policy is simply that "the community" has reported the site.

There's lots to read at http://www.johnchow.com/banned-from-digg/

[wade_watson]

After reading Alex's link and other things on this, I have to wonder if, perhaps, some of the same unscrupulous users Digg wants to keep out may actually be infiltrating and filtering their perceived competition. According to one quote, it takes as little as 10 votes to kill a story. I can't imagine who'd want to keep Lynn's stuff out, though. But some stinker could control 10 accounts and just filter out everything he figures threatens his own niche range. I can't help but think something doesn't smell right over at Digg.

A Digg search of "affiliate marketing" gets over 1000 results. All but 5 have under 100 diggs.

[Lynn Terry]

Ironically, I think it was my post on "Social Media Marketing - A Warning" that got me banned, which only had 88 diggs (but they came in all in a 24 hour period):

http://digg.com/tech_news/Social_Media_Marketing_A_Warning

It was after this post that the warnings started coming up.

Ironic because this was post was about NOT spamming social media properties :p

[Clay Franklin]

So far I have found one comment from Ali on a post about getting banned.
"I got banned to, though for reasons not as evil as yours, but got re-instated.

A nice email helps sometimes."

I found this email feedback@digg.com
at this article. http://www.ehow.com/how_2161428_digg-reinstate-account.html (http://www.ehow.com/how_2161428_digg-reinstate-account.html)

Interesting article about users that get banned for digging too many articles too fast.
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/digg-bans-users-who-digg-too-often/4970/

[Lynn Terry]

Thank you Clay :)

[wade_watson]

I was just listening to Leo Laporte on his Net@Night podcast in which he says that Kevin Rose has recently taken greater control over the operation of Digg (apparently some things didn't suit him). One changes Kevin is making is to lift all site bans and give everyone a fresh start. I think this means your Digg buttons should be working again soon, if they don't already, Lynn.

Wade

[CorpRebel]

:eek: Geez ... How did I miss this? Our own Lynn - a SPAMMER! Who'd have thunk it? :p

Ever figure out what actually happened for them to ban you at the time?


http://www.cashjunction.com/forum-images/rickakacorp_blk2.gif (http://www.ebizrantzandravez.com) :cool:

[Engage]

Lynn, another option is to simply ignore Digg, and get back to work doing what you do so well.

Sites like Digg are the targets of highly organized groups of people who cooperate to vote up each other's posts. These groups so dominate the listings that it may be fair to call all of Digg just one big spam pile.

I joined a membership site awhile back to learn more about social networking. At first the site was educational articles, but then quickly developed in to a sophisticated software system that used all kinds of auto digg type methods etc etc.

Anything that can be abused, will be abused, and soon after rendered worthless. This clever gimmick story has been told over again over the last dozen years. These things come (so that somebody can sell something) and then they go, to be replaced by the next gimmick.

Imho, ignore Digg, and just keep being Lynn. :-)