Brendan Eich Steps Down as Mozilla CEO
Brendan Eich has decided to step down as Mozilla' s new CEO, following the public reactions to his anti-gay viewpoints.
"We know why people are hurt and angry, and they are right:
it's because we haven't stayed true to ourselves," said
Mitchell Baker, Mozilla's Executive Chairwoman. "We didn't act
like you'd expect Mozilla to act. We didn?t move fast enough
to engage with people once the controversy started. We're
sorry. We must do better."
Brendan Eich became Mozilla Corporation's new in March 2014. The Wall Street Journal reported that three of Mozilla's five directors resigned due to Eich's appointment, the Foundation responded disputing this, stating that the board members had "a variety of reasons.
Eich donated $1,000 in 2008 to the campaign for California Proposition 8 with his employer identified as Mozilla. This reached public notability in March 2012, being controversial in the tech sphere and the gay press both in the US and internationally, and the Twitter reaction itself achieving press noteworthiness. Controversy over the donation again reached US and international news when he became CEO of Mozilla in 2014 and a number of employees asked him to step down while others called for a boycott of the company.
Previously, in response to speculation about Eich's appointment, Mozilla released a statement on March 29 re-affirming its support for LGBT equality, including marriage equality.
Today, Mitchell Baker talked about "equality "and "freedom of speech" but admitted that Mozilla "failed to listen, to engage, and to be guided by its community."
What's next for Mozilla's leadership is still being discussed.
Brendan Eich became Mozilla Corporation's new in March 2014. The Wall Street Journal reported that three of Mozilla's five directors resigned due to Eich's appointment, the Foundation responded disputing this, stating that the board members had "a variety of reasons.
Eich donated $1,000 in 2008 to the campaign for California Proposition 8 with his employer identified as Mozilla. This reached public notability in March 2012, being controversial in the tech sphere and the gay press both in the US and internationally, and the Twitter reaction itself achieving press noteworthiness. Controversy over the donation again reached US and international news when he became CEO of Mozilla in 2014 and a number of employees asked him to step down while others called for a boycott of the company.
Previously, in response to speculation about Eich's appointment, Mozilla released a statement on March 29 re-affirming its support for LGBT equality, including marriage equality.
Today, Mitchell Baker talked about "equality "and "freedom of speech" but admitted that Mozilla "failed to listen, to engage, and to be guided by its community."
What's next for Mozilla's leadership is still being discussed.