Matt Mullenweg Deactivating Automattic's Interim CEO's Slack Account (And Other...  🔗 **Source:** [Matt Mullenweg Deactivating Automattic's Interim CEO's Slack Account (And Other...](https://twitter.com/garybairead/status/2098472149958660224/?rw_tt_thread=True) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [automattic, automattic-board, corporate-governance, wordpress-leadership] > author: Gary Bairéad > source: X (@garybairead) > reference: https://twitter.com/garybairead/status/2098472149958660224 > date created: 2026-09-12 > > > [!info] Generated analysis — not the author's words. Sections below are machine-written > > from the captured source. Only text inside `> [!quote]` blocks is verbatim from the author. > > Do not quote or attribute any other line to the named author. > > <!-- deep-read: light-touch --> > Light-touch by design: a 62-word quote post. Gary Bairéad's two lines sit on top of a quoted post from Mike McAlister that links the TechCrunch story. Checked here against that story. > > # 🏷️ Title: Matt Mullenweg deactivating Automattic's interim CEO's Slack account > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## 📝 Summary Gary Bairéad says Mullenweg deactivating the interim CEO's Slack account, and other admins' accounts, because he disagrees with the board shows the "erratic behaviour the board is desperately trying to mitigate." He adds: "Dictators hate losing control." The quoted post from Mike McAlister (September 11, 3:51 PM) asks what's going on inside Automattic and links TechCrunch. ## 🗒️ Who said what **Gary Bairéad** (@garybairead): > [!quote] > Matt Mullenweg deactivating Automattic's interim CEO's Slack account (and other admins) because he disagrees with the board's decision is a perfect example of the erratic behaviour the board is desperately trying to mitigate. > [!quote] > Dictators hate losing control. **Mike McAlister** (@mikemcalister), quoted: > [!quote] > What in the world is going on inside Automattic? ## 🔗 Checked against the linked TechCrunch story TechCrunch (Sarah Perez, published 2026-09-11 15:19 UTC, updated later) reports: - The board voted to oust Mullenweg as CEO "for unknown reasons"; Automattic confirmed he was on leave and that CFO Mark Davies was interim CEO. - Mark Davies' Slack account "was also deactivated, sources said." - Separately, TechCrunch "heard yesterday that Mullenweg had removed all Slack admins." - Automattic hadn't responded to requests to confirm Mullenweg's claim that he was back in control. ## ⚖️ What it does not establish - **Who deactivated Davies' account.** TechCrunch reports the deactivation and, separately, that Mullenweg removed Slack admins. It doesn't say Mullenweg deactivated Davies. Gary's post joins the two. - **The board's motive.** "Trying to mitigate" erratic behavior is Gary's reading; TechCrunch calls the board's reasons unknown. - **"Dictators"** is a characterization, not a reported fact. ## 🎯 Conclusion A strongly worded reaction built on a real report, stretched one step past it. Use the TechCrunch facts; treat the motive and the deactivation attribution as open until Automattic or the board says more. <!-- deep-read:sections end --> 📄 **Full text:** [[Full Document Contents/Tweets/Matt Mullenweg Deactivating Automattic's Interim CEO's Slack Account (And Other....md|Matt Mullenweg Deactivating Automattic's Interim CEO's Slack Account (And Other... by Gary Bairéad]] ## Highlights - Matt Mullenweg deactivating Automattic's interim CEO's Slack account (and other admins) because he disagrees with the board's decision is a perfect example of the erratic behaviour the board is desperately trying to mitigate. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01m2aztmf3gbm23n1v1fsff6jr)) - Note: Goes past the linked TechCrunch report, which says Davies' Slack account was deactivated and separately that Mullenweg removed Slack admins, and calls the board's reasons unknown. - Tags: atom/literature/h3