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Mozilla CEO resignation raises free-speech issues

By Martha Mendoza
Published April 5, 2014 12:23am ET
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Mozilla CEO resignation raises free-speech issues
This undated photo provided by Mozilla shows co-founder and CEO Brendan Eich. Eich is stepping down as CEO and leaving the company following protests over his support of a gay marriage ban in California. At issue was Eich's $1,000 donation in 2008 to the campaign to pass California's Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that outlawed same-sex marriages. (AP Photo/Mozilla) | Darcy Padilla

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The resignation of Mozilla’s CEO amid outrage that he supported an anti-gay marriage campaign is prompting concerns about how Silicon Valley’s strongly liberal culture might quash the very openness that is at the region’s foundation.

Mozilla co-founder Brendan Eich stepped down Thursday as CEO, just days after his appointment. He left the nonprofit maker of the Firefox browser after furious attacks, largely on Twitter, over his $1,000 contribution to support of a now-overturned 2008 gay-marriage ban in California.

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