Did I Get Banned?

I tried to log in today and this is what I got - "Your account is invalid." I know it was working yesterday because I reported an issue with my friends count not matching up to what I visually had. Here is the email chain of events with DIGG support.

TO DIGG via Submit a Bug:

Bug Reported

Login: BadgerDigger

Email: xxxxxxxxxxxx

Page:

Description: According to my profile, I have 214 friends. However, when counting them up, I end up with 211 friends. Here is what I found. A typical friends page show 15 fields. However, when viewing my friends in alphabetical order, pages 7, 8 and 11 only show 14 friends. Thus the missing 3 friends. Refreshes have not solved the issue. Also, changing the friends order changes the page that the missing friends are missing from.

OS: Windows XP

Browser: Firefox 3

DIGG Support Reply:

Thanks for taking the time to contact us at Digg.com regarding this issue.

We’ve contacted our development team who are investigating the issue, and will fix it as soon as possible. Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions.

Thank you,

--Digg Support

TO DIGG Support via my gmail:

Hello,

If it will help, I can send a list of what friends I do see on each page.

Thanks,
BadgerDigger

DIGG Support Reply:

Hello BadgerDigger,

Actually, it would be more helpful to send a list of the users who aren't showing up. That may not be possible for you, however.

TO DIGG Support via my gmail:

Sorry. You are correct in saying this is not possible. I just happened on this because I was doing something with my friends and Google Docs. When to two lists didn't add up is when I found this.

BadgerDigger

TO DIGG Support via my gmail:

One more piece of information to help out.
I get the exact same problem using Internet Explorer 7.

BadgerDigger

TO DIGG Support via my gmail:

Hello,

I now have a new problem. This morning when I tried to login to0 DIGG it is telling me "Your account is invalid." In trying to fix this issue, did something else go wrong with my account?

Thanks,
BadgerDigger

This last email was sent just a few minutes ago. All the others were done yesterday.

Was I banned for placing a list of my friends in Google Docs? I did a lot of cutting and pasting to make that list of friends in Google docs. There are no scripts connecting Google Docs with DIGG and I do not use any other scripts. I am hoping to get a reply and access to my account restored. I will update here once I know more.

UPDATE 1:

DIGG Support Reply:

Hello BadgerDigger,

Your account(s) were removed for using scripts to assist in the Digging of content on Digg.com. Due to the nature and severity of abuse, your account will not be reinstated. This decision is final and irreversible.

--Digg Support

TO DIGG Support via my gmail:

Hello,

I am confused. I do not use scripts with DIGG. My only Greasemonkey script is GoogleMonkeyR and that is for changing the way Google results work. Please inform me what scripts that I may have used so that I can search my machine for them and remove them. I would hate to be banned a second time for using script that I am not aware of. Also, is it possible that something may look like a script when in reality it was not, like a false positive?

Thank You,

Don't you just hate a form letter reply. Hopefully DIGG Support will reply with additional details.

If I end having to create a new account, thankfully I have a list of all my friends. If you are wondering, No I won't be too upset about creating a new account. I actually think I had a DIGG stalker or two (or more) that just buried any and everything I put on DIGG. Having a new account will throw them off my trail for a while.

Updates as they come in.

UPDATE 2:

I think I may have figured out why DIGG thinks I was using scrips. I emailed them my theory.

Hello,

I have some additional information as to why DIGG may have seen my account as possibly using scripts. In the original bug report, I stated that I am using Firefox 3. To be more specific, I am using Firefox 3.1 Beta 2. This also leads me to a different issue that i did not report because I figured it was because I was using a beta version of Firefox. Many times when viewing a DIGG only the first level of comments were visible. It looked like that non of the comments had replied. However, because I often comment as a reply, I knew there should be more than the first layer of comments. My solution to getting to the missing comments was to reload the page until the missing comment showed up. There were times where I would be reloading a page up to 20 times before the reply comments would show up. I highly suspect that this is the false positive on using scripts for my account.

With this new information, I request reactivating my account and working with me to resolve both my original issue and this issue.

My Account: BadgerDigger

Thank You,

UPDATE 3:

I sent this yesterday afternoon.

Hello DIGG Support,

Please update me on the status of the two issues I have reported and the the reactivating of my account.

Thank You,

Sadly, they have not replied. However, to give DIGG Support one more shot, I sent the following this morning.

Hello DIGG,

I am wondering if there has been any progress in the following:
- Locating of the 3 friends reported in the total friends vs. actual friends
- Why I cannot see replies to comments unless I reload a DIGG up to 20 times in a row.
- Reactivating my account BadgerDigger because the above issue caused a false positive on script use.

Thank You,

Hopefully I will hear back from them in a few hours. In the mean time, I will be creating a new account with BadgerDigger II.

UPDATE 4:

DIGG Support replied:

Thanks for getting in touch with us regarding this issue.

We’re working hard to correct it and apologize for any inconvenience you’ve experienced.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions.

Thank you,

-The Digg Support Team.

They are working on the two issues, but have not said anything about me getting my account reactivated. I guess they don't realize is that issue one doesn't matter too much unless I get my account back. Issue two is a concern because it might just cause BadgerDigger II to get banned.

UPDATE 5:

The good die young - BadgerDigger II has been banned. Here is my latest to DIGG Support.

Hello DIGG Support,

I have a new issue. I created a new new account this morning and now it is telling me that it is inactive. The new account is BadgerDiggerII. Please explain why it has become inactive. I have not used any scripts. I only managed to get my profile set up the way I like it, re-invited all my old friends from my original account, dugg what were my old favorites and made them favorites again. I have not submitted anything new. I dugg only two items. I did not do any type of bury. Please explain what has happened.

Thanks,

I have an idea of what it may be, but I am hoping that I am wrong.

UPDATE 6:

DIGG replied and things do not look good.

Hello BadgerDigger,

Your original account(s) have been removed for Terms of Service (digg.com/tos) violations. Please do not attempt to create any more accounts on Digg.com.

--Digg Support

I did reply, but I suspect that it may be the end of this story. It does look like there will be no happy ending.

Hello DIGG Support,

I have gone through the 15 DIGG/tos (now and when I joined) and I do not see any that I violated. I suspect that either one of my issues is making things look like one of the DIGG/tos were broken or that others have fraudulently reported me as breaking the DIGG/tos. Please review this case and reconsider activating my original account.

Thank You,

However, if you know anything about badgers, you will know that they don't quit. ;-)

UPDATE 7:

The silence from DIGG Support is deafening. They have not been able to tell what DIGG/tos I have violated or reactivate my account.

I suspect that my second account was banned for one of the follow two reasons or possible both. Who know when it comes to the great mysterious DIGG.

1. The new account was created under a new email address and then I switch to the same address that I used in the first banned account.
2. When restoring all my friends from my Google Doc spreadsheet, I managed to add all 200+ friends quickly and in alphabetical order and that looked like a script was being used.

I guess a third reason could be that the new name was too much like the first and that it would have been too helpful in returning me to the same strength as before. If I got banned because of being a Conservative that would a reason to ban the second account.

The good news is that I am back up and running with a new account. I have about 1/2 my friends restored. A new image for my icon and my old image too. No links on the side yet, but most of my favorites have been restored. Maybe by the end of the weekend I'll be back up to having all my friends restored and submitting stories again.

There is some great news in all of this.

• I believe I had a clan of DIGG stalkers that would do nothing but bury what I submitted. Who knows, maybe this clan falsely reported me for breaking the DIGG/tos. I guess this will happen when people can be fans of yours and you have no option to block them.
• With my Google Doc spreadsheet, I will be able to track who is digging my submissions. No scripts are involved. Just cutting and pasting off the DIGG site. If it works, I'll share it with others.

Lastly, sorry for those that want to know my new account. In case the powers that be that are against me are reading this, I will not give them a free ticket on who to ban again. If you were friends with me before, just wait for that invite from me either today or this weekend,

UPDATE 8:

Since DIGG Support did not reply, I sent them the following:

Hello DIGG Support,

I am not sure if my previous email got lost or not since I have yet to receive a reply. I hope to resolve this issue soon. Any word on which DIGG/tos that was violated? At this time, I am getting the impression that I am the victim of people falsely reporting me as breaking the DIGG/tos.

Thank You,

DIGG Support replied

Hello BadgerDigger,

As we stated before, your account(s) have been removed for using scripts to assist in Digging content:

"By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree not to use the Services:

# with the exception of accessing RSS feeds, you will not use any robot, spider, scraper or other automated means to access the Site for any purpose without our express written permission. Additionally, you agree that you will not: (i) take any action that imposes, or may impose in our sole discretion an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure; (ii) interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Site or any activities conducted on the Site; or (iii) bypass any measures we may use to prevent or restrict access to the Site;"

--DIGG Support

Here is my reply. Some of it repeats from previous emails.

Hello support,

I believe that this is still a misunderstand and that one of my problems with the accessing the site is the source of breaking the following DIGG/tos. As I have noted earlier, I am having issues in seeing the replies to comments. To correct this issue, I was rapidly reloading a page until the replies to comments would appear. There were times when I would have several tabs open all with the same issue and I was working them all to get the comment to show. I am guessing that this looked as if I was breaking the DOG/tos. Particularly this part - "(i) take any action that imposes, or may impose in our sole discretion an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure; (ii) interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Site or any activities conducted on the Site". If that is the case, the I apologize traffic load it caused. If this is not the case, then I am at a loss on how I violated the DOGG/tos you have sent me.

Thanks for looking into this and for keeping the dialog flowing.

Just to be clear, I DO NOT USE SCRIPTS. I do use the DIGG gadget for my iGoogle page. That gadget comes from DIGG, so I am guessing that is acceptable. I do have hyperlinks to DIGG user pages. I would think that is not a part of the violation. That is it. However, I have a new theory. Does DIGG not like that I have Adblock Plus for Firefox? It is just a guess. Hopefully, I will know more next week.

Lastly, in the effort in reconnecting with friends, I did find that phatphat is gone.

Updates as they come in. If more updates come in, I will start a new post for them.