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.