AI Wants You To Know Who Is Boss: GitHub Automod Bans Its Own Maker

In an irony of sorts, GitHub co-founder Chris Wanstrath “defunkt” has been banned from the developer platform he created. He also revealed that he might be moving all his code to rival BitBucket, owned by Atlassian Corporation Plc (NASDAQ:TEAM).

What Happened: On Tuesday, Wanstrath took to Twitter to express his shock and dismay at being banned from the Microsoft Corp.-owned (NASDAQ:MSFT) GitHub, a platform he co-founded.

He also mentioned his intention to move all his code to BitBucket, another popular version control repository hosting service.

Banned from GitHub without any explanation. Guess I’m moving all my code to BitBucket.https://t.co/Z93XZ1WnRb pic.twitter.com/7euzOGmsp1

— defunkt (@defunkt) February 5, 2024

The tweet has stirred up significant conversation in the tech community, given Wanstrath’s prominent role in creating and developing GitHub. The reasons behind the ban remain unclear, as Wanstrath revealed that he was not provided with an explanation.

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GitHub COO Kyle Daigle jumped into action quickly, unbanning Wanstrath’s account. While Daigle did not immediately say what went wrong, he pointed to a possible issue with GitHub’s automation systems.

“You’re 100% unsuspended now. I’m working with our Trust & Safety team to understand what went wrong with our automations and I’m incredibly sorry for the trouble. GitHub loves @defunkt!”

You’re 100% unsuspended now. I’m working with our Trust & Safety team to understand what went wrong with our automations and I’m incredibly sorry for the trouble. GitHub ❤️ @defunkt!

— Kyle Daigle (@kdaigle) February 5, 2024

Why It Matters: This unexpected development comes at a time when GitHub is widely used by developers for coding, collaboration, and version control.

There are several user reports about GitHub banning their accounts for no apparent reason, so Wanstrath’s banning is not an isolated incident.

Despite Wanstrath’s account being restored quickly, users asked pointed questions to Daigle. “Would you be as quick to act if any other “regular” member were banned?” one user asked.

Would you be as quick to act if any other “regular” member were banned?

— Mert Can…