Interim Reddit CEO Ellen Pao resigns as co-founder Steve Huffman takes over

Reddit board member Sam Altman in a statement that, "Pao resigned from Reddit today by mutual agreement. I'm delighted to announce that Steve Huffman, founder and the original Reddit CEO, is returning as CEO," the Verge reported. Huffman had co-founded the company with Alexis Ohanian, who left the company for a time before returning as executive chair. 

Pao had become the target of criticism last week following the abrupt firing of an employee, which led to widespread blackouts across the platform, and a petition for her resignation has gained popularity since then. In an interview with The New York Times, she attributed her decision to internal disagreements, adding that it made sense to bring someone in that shared the same view. 

Altman mentioned that it was "sickening to see some of the things Redditors wrote about Ellen. The reduction in compassion that happens when we're all behind computer screens is not good for the world." Pao will apparently remain a board adviser until the end of 2015.