TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Gawker Media (my former employer) is a paragon of transparency. They left up a post I wrote slamming the company over its pay system and regularly "leak" internal memos. Why then, did Valleywag correspondent Nicholas Carlson gleefully expose TechCrunch's internal "Digg Army" mailing list, and leave Gawker's similar list out in the cold?

Scorned former TechCruncher Duncan Riley leaked a screen shot of his inbox to Valleywag, which poked fun at TechCrunch and rightfully pointed out that this sort of behavior may be taboo among Digg fanboys. But in the real world this is just smart business for anyone posting content on the web -- at least until Kevin Rose figures out how to disable it (which he has done fairly well. After a algorithm shift earlier this year, Diggs from friends began to count less towards "popularity").

What I can't understand is why Carlson danced around admitting that Gawker has an internal mailing list for this very purpose. He just says "The question isn't whether TechCrunch should do this — it's why your site hasn't, you lazy punters."

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!

TechCrunch (and Gawker!)'s secret Digg army

Jordan Golson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:01:32 -0700

Ah well. Here's a screenshot from the Gawker Digg list, showing many Gawker writers (including yours truly, and Nicholas Carlson) begging our fellow writers for Diggs.

Nick, come on. The first rule of Digg Army is you don't talk about Digg Army. You're so out of the club.

[ Valleywag ]

Update: From an IM conversation with Nicholas Carlson:

Nicholas Carlson: Where's Industry Standard's list?

Jordan Golson: we only have like 5 staff

Jordan Golson: so it consists of IMing people

Nicholas Carlson: what I don't like is your story is getting diggs faster

Jordan Golson: bwahahahahaha

Nicholas Carlson: the standard's digg army is way more effective!