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The biggest problem with becoming an extremely popular website with extremely vocal and loyal users, like the social news site Digg, is ... being extremely popular and having extremely vocal and loyal users. Your audience can never be pleased: Some want new features, others want old features refined, and others want no changes at all. While the newly introduced social-network features seem unobtrusive, and in keeping with Digg's headline-rating focus, most Diggers simply want commenting improved and a promised images section added. And they're enraged that the new features were revealed in an old-media BusinessWeek exclusive prior to appearing on Digg's own blog.

Kevin Rose isn't just balancing the competing interests of Digg's loyal users, of course. Whenever a founder starts talking about "the users," hold onto your wallet. Rose also has to balance the interests of Digg's investors, for whom the BusinessWeek exclusive seems tailored. And then there's the wildcard of Rose's other venture, Pownce, which offers features similar to the ones just rolled out. Is Pownce turning into a mere testbed for Digg? And if so, how does his cofounders there feel about that? Here's hoping Rose can manage these competing interests as well as past Digg controversies.