can you digg it

I am watching an electronic riot in progress at Digg.com. It is one of the most interesting things I have ever seen on the internet; Digg is melting down in real time:

Brace yourself: there is a revolt underway at Digg. Users are virulently spreading the HD DVD AACS decryption key against Digg’s wishes, with each removed post spawning dozens more in its place. But how did such a loyal userbase as Digg’s so quickly divert its all-consuming energy to defying — even damaging — the company to which it was so loyal?

Well, like so many things DRM-related, it started with a group of hackers at Doom9, who toiled for weeks to discover faults in the DRM systems of HD DVD and Blu-ray. After what’s known as the (universal) processing keys — codes that would allow for the easy decryption of locked-down HD movies on those two formats — were discovered, the Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator went on a rampage, attempting to remove the code from any site daring enough to publish it.

...

Of course the code hit Digg shortly thereafter. And, of course, immediately Digg staff wiped the AACS code from the site. It appeared again, picked up over 15,000 votes (an unprecedented number), and was taken down again. The users and staff went back and forth for hours until the disparate masses formed a cohesive unit, and something never-before-seen on the internet happened: a massive, simultaneous revolt of one of the largest organized groups yet seen on the internet, each user as determined as the next to overthrow the will of the very social news service that brought them together.

UPDATE: Kevin Rose, founder of Digg, has responded to the chaos:

We had to decide whether to remove stories containing a single code based on a cease and desist declaration. We had to make a call, and in our desire to avoid a scenario where Digg would be interrupted or shut down, we decided to comply and remove the stories with the code.

But now, 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.