In a desperate bid to recapture its glory days, and let’s face it, those were some cringe-worthy times, Digg is stepping back into the limelight. The social media platform that once reigned before Reddit took over is returning, and this time, it’s all about the vibes. Kevin Rose, one of the original masterminds behind Digg, is teaming up again with his buddy Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, to breathe new life into a space that seems to thrive on toxicity.

Digg, which originally launched in 2004 and facilitated user upvotes and downvotes like a digital high school popularity contest, has been off the map for too long. At its peak, 40 million of you were surfing this platform, while Facebook was still struggling to pop its pimple. Fast forward to 2012, when the site lost its direction and got swallowed up piece by piece by LinkedIn’s corporate appetite.

Fast forward another decade, and here we are, social media feels nastier than ever, with online strangers hurling insults like confetti at a poorly planned wedding. New CEO Justin Mezzell admits that today’s online chatter feels like a World War III battlefield. Apparently, even the internet’s town hall has turned into a dumpster fire.

In hopes of sparking some much-needed compassion online, Digg is planning to utilize artificial intelligence to manage some of the dirty work while allowing humans to create real, meaningful interactions, what a revolutionary concept! “It’s a struggle to get people to engage in meaningful discussions these days,” Mezzell remarked, perfectly summarizing our collective social media anxiety.

But they do have a game plan: Instead of playing the strict parent with a list of do’s and don’ts, Rose proposes a more nuanced approach to content moderation. Think of it as a social speed limit, morons can still post whatever, but good luck getting anyone to see your scream into the void.

Still, AI moderation has its critics, with experts warning that it can miss the subtleties of community guidelines. If you’re going to throw a chatbot into these complex conversations, it better be one that won’t suppress marginalized voices just because it can.

Digg’s relaunch is impending, with promises of a website and mobile app that prioritize connection over chaos. So, will a sprinkle of AI rescue this social media relic? At this point, we’ll take anything to revive the digital town square, as long as it doesn’t turn into another exhausting echo chamber. Fingers crossed, folks!

Keep your eyes peeled for this comeback, it’s a do-or-die moment for Digg. Who knows? Maybe it’ll actually start a conversation worth having.