For weeks, the Change.org petition demanding the ouster of interim Reddit CEO Ellen Pao had been rapidly gaining momentum: 10,000 signatures, 100,000 signatures, 213,451 signatures.
On Friday, the meter measuring the petition’s progress morphed into a triumphant little red flag, accompanied by the word “Victory” in thin, blunt lettering.
The petition was launched last month in response to the banning of five hate-filled subreddits and other anti-harassment changes overseen by Pao during her brief tenure, and invigorated by the unpopular removal of a well-liked Reddit employee. Its creator lauded Pao’s resignation in his victory post this weekend, as did thousands of Reddit users who have been clamoring for her resignation, many of whom crowed their approval in much less polite (and less printable) terms.
