Ellen Pao

Ellen Pao      (Lawyer, businesswoman, CEO)
Born	Ellen Kangru Pao 1970 New Jersey, United States
Alma mater	Princeton University, Harvard Law School, Harvard Business School
Interests	Controlling the narrative
Former CEO of Reddit, former investment partner at Kleiner Perkins

Ellen Kangru Pao is an American lawyer, investor and former CEO of social media platform Reddit.

Background

After working for Mitch Kapor, she joined Reddit as head of business development at first in 2013.

Ghislaine Maxwell

Following Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest, Pao tweeted in 2020 that she and others were aware of Ghislaine Maxwell and her involvement in child trafficking at a party in 2011, but it was deemed "OK" with most people controlling the guest list at a party for Kleiner Perkins, a famous venture capital firm heading from Silicon Valley.

Ghislaine Maxwell and Pao shared space in the venture capital firm, and were working together in 2009, when Maxwell’s alleged partner and co-conspirator Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty for having sex with an underage girl. Some of the persons confirmed as guests on this party include Al Gore and Laura D'Andrea Tyson.

What was the purpose or reasoning behind this tweet?

Reddit

During her CEO period, the site banned revenge pornography. In 2015, decisions made by the company during her tenure, such as the banning of controversial Reddit communities for harassment, generated criticism culminated in Pao resigning. The backlash she received sparked debates both on the treatment of women in technology and the need for transparency in a company that relies on volunteers. Pao has called out Reddit leadership for trying to instigate polarization and narrative control through their social media.

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