Daniel Micay has stepped down on Graphene OS who are now running it or step in aa substitute?
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Executive summary
Daniel Micay announced in late May 2023 that he was stepping down as lead developer of GrapheneOS and as a GrapheneOS Foundation director; he cited escalating harassment and said there would be a “smooth migration” of responsibilities [1]. Public records and encyclopedic summaries note the resignation but, as of the latest available reporting in these sources, they do not specify who has taken over day‑to‑day leadership of the project [2] [1].
1. The public stepping‑down: what Micay said and why it matters
Daniel Micay—founder and long‑time lead developer of GrapheneOS—publicly announced he was stepping down as lead developer and would be replaced as a Foundation director, citing escalating harassment including swatting and saying he would stop using public social media; he promised a smooth migration of duties [1]. That announcement is treated as definitive in community threads and was widely reposted and discussed across forums dedicated to privacy and open‑source mobile software [3] [4].
2. What the encyclopedias and histories record
Wikipedia’s GrapheneOS entry records that Micay stepped down in May 2023 and also notes his historical role as the project’s main developer and founder [2]. The GrapheneOS project history pages emphasize that Micay founded and historically controlled the project, describing its early evolution and institutional disputes with former sponsors—context that helps explain why his departure drew attention [5].
3. Who’s now running GrapheneOS — what the available sources say
Available sources in this set do not name a new, specific individual who has taken over as lead developer or as the operational head of GrapheneOS following Micay’s announcement; public reporting and the project’s encyclopedic summary confirm the step‑down but stop short of naming successors or detailing the migration process [2] [1]. Forum and social posts show community discussion about the transition but do not provide an authoritative personnel list in these excerpts [3] [4].
4. Signals from official channels and third parties
Micay’s personal site directs people to contact the GrapheneOS Foundation about project matters, implying institutional channels exist for continuity, but that site does not, in the excerpts provided, list who replaced him [6]. Community commentary and advocacy pieces defend Micay and stress continuity of the project, indicating stakeholders viewed GrapheneOS as persistent beyond any single person [7]. The project’s own history page underscores institutional structures and past disputes that shaped governance practices [5].
5. Competing narratives and community tensions
Forum threads and comment boards record polarized views of Micay’s tenure and departure: some posts defend him and the project, others criticize his behavior and note interpersonal conflicts that predate his resignation [4] [7]. The GrapheneOS history page itself warns of “a former sponsor” engaging in misinformation and harassment campaigns against contributors, signaling that internal and external conflicts have been a recurring theme [5]. These competing perspectives matter because they shape how the community interprets any leadership change.
6. What’s not in the reporting — key gaps you should know
The supplied sources do not provide a clear successor’s name, a timeline of the formal handover, or official Foundation minutes documenting the replacement process (not found in current reporting). They also do not provide up‑to‑date Federal corporate filings showing a changed director roster beyond noting that as of September 2024 some records still listed Micay as a director [2]. For questions about who is now making development and release decisions, available sources do not give definitive answers (not found in current reporting).
7. How to verify current leadership quickly
To establish who currently runs GrapheneOS, check three primary places: the GrapheneOS official site and “History” or “About” pages for governance notes [5], the GrapheneOS Foundation corporate filings or director listings referenced on Wikipedia [2], and recent official announcements from the project or its Mastodon/forum channels where personnel changes would be declared [1] [8]. The sources here point to those channels but do not themselves include a post‑transition personnel list.
Limitations: This article cites only the provided search results; assertions beyond those excerpts are avoided and labeled as “not found in current reporting” where appropriate.