Google Doesn’t Favor Google; Should Digg Stop Promoting Digg?

Last weekend the big story was whether Google favors Google within it's own tools. Dave Winer believes that Google might force Google Reader to favor blogs that use their newly acquired FeedBurner service. Discussion arose across the Web around the topic. On Jeremiah's blog, Adam Lasnik, a Google Search employee responded with:

I work in Search at Google, and I wanted to help debunk a current myth which you’ve spread above: We don’t elevante Google-hosted/created content in our search results above like content. That means we don’t push Blogger blogs about Wordpress blogs. YouTube videos above Metacafe videos. We aim to show the most relevant and important results for every query… regardless of which results are affiliated with Google properties.

Alright so let's assume that Google isn't evil and does put all sites on the same, fair, playing field. What about Digg? Should the same be expected of them? Is it ok for stories submitted by Digg team members about Digg (and the associated properties) to reach the home page?

Today Digg announced that they are changing ad partners from Google to Microsoft. A big story? Maybe. (it seems bigger than I anticipated based on the number of posts on TechMeme, of course some of them want to be listed on Digg front page!) Worth a Digg home page? Maybe. Kevin Rose posted the story to Digg and within mere minutes, the story hit the home page. It's a well known fact that any "kevinrose" submitted story will go home page. Should Kevin have submitted this? I suggest no. Should they have allowed anyone to submit this? I suggest no again. First, Digg'ers will always check the Digg blog. Second, I think its a misuse of Digg to continually promote their own interests. The Digg blog would be a great widget within the Digg site. Let users find out about it that way. Let other stories enjoy the benefits of Digg.

If we look at Revision3, it is almost a given that much of the content will go to the home page. And then we have Pownce. When Pownce launched, story after story went to the home page. Is this ok? It just doesn't sit well with me to see the Digg team use Digg to promote not only Digg but their own properties.

Just to be clear, I am not suggesting that the Digg algorithm is set to help boost internal Digg (and their affiliated sites) in any way. What I am suggesting is that Digg should not be used to promote Digg by Digg. The one element I am not 100% sure about is how far should this go. Would sites that write about Digg news events be allowed? I would think yes. Talking about Digg from outsiders is fine, internal promotion is not.

All sites should be held to the same standards, not just Google. What do you think? Is it ok for Digg to engage in behavior that we seem to agree Google should never engage in?