392
Crypto foundation demanded employees endorse suicide pledge, then fired leaders who objected, Colorado lawsuit alleges (www.denverpost.com)
submitted 4 days ago by Some_Emo_Chick@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
70 comments fedilink hide all child comments
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] Maeve@kbin.earth 30 points 4 days ago

https://archive.li/6jnqb

And on page 11 — nestled between a winking anime woman and three yellow cats — was a suicide pledge. Authors, maintainers, editors and distributors of “this software” would pledge to ensure the software remained free and publicly accessible, and would also vow to “take his or her own life with a sword upon failure to uphold any of the pledges in this license,” the illustration read. It was labeled “Source Seppuku License,” an apparent reference to a traditional Japanese ritual suicide. When the document went out on that Friday in March, employees were told to commit to the principles in the mandate by Monday or quit their jobs, according to the lawsuit brought by Kayleen Fulton, a Boulder woman who was fired from the Ethereum Foundation after she led employee resistance to the suicide pledge.

Winking character, keep it free... I am not a crypto holder but something seems off with the article.

[-] cantstopthesignal@sh.itjust.works 20 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

The people running that company are nut jobs who demand cult like loyalty because they sell a scam product with a cult like following. I could totally see them doing some kind of sovereign citizen type of joke contract like this as some kind of loyalty test.

[-] Maeve@kbin.earth 2 points 3 days ago

I agree, I want to know what, exactly, is going on.

[-] rumba@lemmy.zip 8 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

If you're reporting facts on something that is wildly unfortunate and bizarre, it's not the facts that are off, it's* the thing you're reporting on that's off.

[-] Maeve@kbin.earth 2 points 3 days ago

Again, I want to know what's going on with this. Is this another Thiel? Do you know anything about the company executives? I don't own crypto so I don't really follow it.

[-] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 days ago

It's like the Linux foundation issuing a vision that the software should remain free. Members of foundation should pledge towards that mandate. If a scumbag is going to rug pull it to a commercial license, violating the pledge, they will probably reneg on any voluntary penalties that they also pledged for violating the first pledge.

While its all a bit dramatic, the game theory of the drama should have been explained better, in that drama for traitors traitoring will include their pledge to kill themselves which as traitors will just have to dismiss, while enduring drama.

[-] Maeve@kbin.earth 3 points 3 days ago

Yeah this story is weird and confusing.

[-] rumba@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Here's a much longer article including the official court cases filed against the suicide pact or fire document.

edit: LOL i knew i'd miss something

https://davidgerard.co.uk/blockchain/2026/11/10/the-ethereum-foundation-is-officially-a-corporate-suicide-cult/

[-] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 days ago

I think you forgot to paste it

[-] Maeve@kbin.earth 1 points 3 days ago

Link?

[-] Darkonion@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

I wonder how many swordcanes and trenchcoats the person who wrote that pledge owns.

this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2026
392 points (97.8% liked)

Technology

89729 readers
4340 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related news or articles.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
L3s@lemmy.world
enu@lemmy.world
technopagan@lemmy.world
L4s@lemmy.world
L3s@hackingne.ws