Catch me if you can: Online protests on sites powered by user-generated content

- There are risks associated with websites that rely on user-generated content.
- We study a protest by the users of Digg, a social news site.
- We identify the context, development, and consequences of the protest.
- Site administrators must be aware of the possibility of unrest among users.

This study concentrates on online protests in websites that rely on user-generated content. We develop a case study on Digg, a website powered by user-generated content that encounters backlash from their community. Through an interpretive analysis of the case we identify how the context and interactions among key players lead to what we call a “catch me if you can” game, where users and administrators of the website battle in an effort to outsmart and outmaneuver each other. The findings reveal a tension between users and administrators that intensifies during the protest, and should be considered carefully by site administrators.