Digg has sent a cease and desist to the company behind USocial.net, the website pictured above. Should we be surprised? The site is publicly advertising its service that lets you buy votes in mass quantity on Digg, Stumbleupon, and Propeller.

The social news site has come under scrutiny for some of its recent bans aimed at preventing manipulation, but you can hardly blame them for trying to stop such blatant attempts to game the system. The letter sent to USocial's owner is pasted below:

Dear ####:

My firm represents Digg, Inc. ("Digg"). We have become aware that uSocial.net ("uSocial") is paying users of www.Digg.com to manipulate content rankings on the Digg website. Digg hereby places you on notice that its website terms of use (located at http://digg.com/tos) expressly state:

IN ADDITION, YOU HEREBY AGREE THAT YOU SHALL NOT USE THE SERVICE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, BY "DIGGING" ANY CONTENT) ON BEHALF OF (OR PER THE REQUEST OR INSTRUCTION OF) ANY THIRD PARTY. FURTHERMORE, YOU SHALL NOT REQUEST THAT ANY THIRD PARTY, OR PAY OR OTHERWISE ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE ANY THIRD TO, MANIPULATE OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE SITE IN ANY MANNER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, BY PAYING ANY OTHER USER TO "DIGG" ANY CONTENT).

Pursuant to the website terms of use, your manipulation of Digg's content rankings constitutes tortious interference with Digg's agreements (i.e. its website terms of use) with the Digg users involved such activity.

Digg hereby demands that you immediately cease all attempts to have Digg users manipulate or otherwise affect the Digg service. Please provide us with written confirmation of your understanding of this matter within the next ten (10) days and assure us that the foregoing demands will be met.

This message should not be construed as a waiver of rights, an offer of settlement, or reliance on any specific facts or legal theories. Digg reserves all of its rights and remedies under applicable law.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at ###-###-####.