Report: Google looking to buy Digg "much sooner than later"

BoomTown's Kara Swisher reports that Digg is very much still for sale. Google, sources tell Swisher, is the "odds-on favorite" to buy Digg "much sooner than later." The social news site, which built its initial following largely on former cable-TV host Kevin Rose's charm, has always had sale rumors swirling about; Digg's bank, Allen & Co., has been trying to sell the company for months. In early March, TechCrunch reported that Google and Microsoft were locked in a bidding war over Digg, offering $200 million or more. If Google did purchase Digg, its whiny users would inevitably complain.They'd be wrong to. Google would quickly fix our biggest problems with Digg: lethargic site response and pathetic search.

8:20 AM on Fri Apr 25 2008
By Nicholas Carlson
1,225 views
9 comments

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matto at 08:26 AM on 04/25/08
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Did you really have to sap my will to live so early this morning?
Doug at 08:44 AM on 04/25/08
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I think Google could fix a much larger problem- the typical story type that ends up popular on Digg. The sheer volume of Google-visitor traffic could bring Digg out of internet memes, YouTube clips, and "Top X ways to Y your Z [MUST READ!!!]" blog regurgitation items. Maybe.

I know that Digg has many categories and ways to filter out those items, I'm just saying that overall it could be pushed into much broader territory.
Ted Dziuba at 08:56 AM on 04/25/08
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That's right Google. Keep the bubble alive. Your perceived importance depends on it.
Blackjack at 08:58 AM on 04/25/08
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@Doug: You're really overestimating Google's userbase, methinks.
WagCurious at 09:51 AM on 04/25/08
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That would explain why Digg posts are valued so highly by the Google Site Index. I added something to Digg and literally an hour later it was in Google's Site Index (a site they had refused to add earlier). You can literally be backlinked all over the place, but a single Digg entry is considered more relevant by Google. Even if it only has 1 Digg. So basically Google is saying if you want to be in the Site Index, use Digg. That's a little bit evil, don't you think?
planet_of_the_snapes at 10:11 AM on 04/25/08
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Nicholas Carlson: Will Google fix Digg's pathetic search the way they fixed Blogger's pathetic search?
vulturesquadron at 11:00 AM on 04/25/08
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I can't wait to see how much worse Digg can be.
Rick at 12:10 PM on 04/25/08
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I don't care how many users digg ever has, the fact that they're digg users makes them worthless as users.
CGrant at 12:33 AM on 04/26/08
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The only thing that would anger me about Digg being bought by Google is if things like Arc or Digg Labs are gone. I would be in a fit of rage if the interface becomes as dull as Google's.