Warp Faces Backlash Over Controversial Social Media Posts
The startup Warp has found itself at the center of a controversy after a series of inflammatory posts from an account associated with the company drew public ire. On Thursday, an account operated under the name Vittorio made a shocking statement on X, saying, “I prefer White people; they perform better for my goals to advance the Kardashev scale, while I’ll let Black people play basketball.”
Alongside this post, his profile contained an official badge linking him to Warp, which provides payroll software aimed at automating state-specific tax compliance. This badge was part of a marketing tactic initiated through X’s business program in 2022, typically meant for company employees, but seemingly extended by Warp as part of their nontraditional outreach strategy.
The fallout from Vittorio’s post not only sparked outrage against him but also aimed at Warp itself. In response, Warp labeled his comments as “wrong,” stating, “We believe excellence can come from anywhere.” The company firmly stated that Vittorio was “never a Warp employee” and confirmed that they have since revoked his affiliate badge.
Vittorio’s account and post have now been deleted. Warp’s Head of Growth, Varunram Ganesh, expressed, “I do not condone what he said; his badge has been removed. While it’s fine for people to express their discontent towards him and us online, the actions of some users—finding his address and attempting to SWAT him—are excessive and harmful.”
Furthermore, Warp announced their decision to limit the distribution of affiliate badges, restricting them to a smaller, vetted group. The company did not reply immediately to TechCrunch’s inquiry about the nature of its ties with Vittorio and other affiliate members.
Interestingly, certain affiliate accounts have defended Vittorio’s remarks. An account named Pico Paco claimed, “Vittorio did nothing wrong; it’s merely a PR crisis,” while another posed the question, “Is he wrong, though?” Earlier today, Warp released a statement regarding the incident, affirming their commitment to excellence from all avenues.
Before this incident, The Pragmatic Engineer writer Gergely Orosz voiced concerns over his X feed being inundated with posts from blue-check affiliates of Warp, characterizing them as driven by engagement rather than substance. He speculated that Warp’s strategy involved distributing badges to trendy accounts to amplify attention and promote the brand.
In a now-deleted statement, Warp’s CEO Ayush Sharma highlighted the importance of free speech, asserting, “We embrace risks while remaining receptive to feedback.” When questioned about the implications of his comments concerning racism, Sharma clarified, “I’m mainly addressing criticism regarding our badge distribution—our intent is to experiment and be open to all perspectives.”
As the situation unfolds, it raises important discussions regarding the responsibilities of tech companies regarding their marketing strategies and the affiliates they support.
This article was originally published by TechCrunch. You can read the full article here.