Our Statement on Recent Events

Hey everyone,

We know there's been a lot of buzz surrounding Moods lately. Screenshots, opinions, and even internal, confidential information have been circulating on Bluesky and other platforms. We're here today to set the record straight and give you the full story from our perspective. After reading this, you're free to form your own opinions and decide what's best for you.

What Really Happened?

For those who may not be fully aware, this situation started when Giuliano, the founder and head of Moods, used his own personal funds to hire a designer to create some initial logos for the app. This decision, made without prior discussion with the team, upset some members, particularly Stonehaven. While we understand this was a misstep, as we had team members like Arin, Jre, and others, who were already working on logo concepts, it sparked a chain of events that escalated far beyond what anyone anticipated.

Giu apologized multiple times for not consulting the team beforehand, acknowledging that the logo design process should have been in-house. However, Stonehaven continued to bring up the issue repeatedly, expressing her frustration and anger in a way that became increasingly disruptive to the team. Other team members, like Jre, asked her to please move on from the subject (you can see this in the screenshots she shared) since Giu had already apologized and we were literally going in circles, but those requests were ignored. The screenshots that have been shared online only show a small part of the conversations – you don't see the numerous times this topic was rehashed, even days after Giu had apologized, and former team members know this.

To clarify further on the logo situation, it's important to emphasize that the logos Giu commissioned were presented as optional additions to the existing concepts being developed by the team. They were intended to provide more choices and broaden our creative options, not to replace the work already in progress. The final logo would have been chosen through a team vote, ensuring everyone had a voice in the decision. The intention was never to disregard or diminish the contributions of Arin, Jre, or any other team member who had been working on logos, but rather to supplement their efforts with additional possibilities, all paid for out of Giu's own pocket.

It's important to understand the context: Giu was being constantly attacked over something he had already owned up to and apologized for. Stonehaven, claiming to have "more experience in projects and in the corporate world" than the rest of the team, repeatedly asserted that her ideas should be prioritized and the project will fail without someone like her. In a moment of understandable frustration, fueled by repeated attacks and attempts to undermine his leadership, Giu lost his temper and ultimately banned Stonehaven from the project.

Could Things Have Been Handled Differently?

Absolutely. We acknowledge that Giu's reaction could have been managed way better, that's for sure. However, imagine leading a project you're passionate about, only to have someone constantly challenge your authority, belittle your team, and claim superiority based on their age and supposed experience.

Furthermore, we've since discovered that Stonehaven had been leaking sensitive project information, including internal documents, to external Discord servers for several days before this incident.

In the screenshots shared, you can see a former moderator, Xiaz, calling Stonehaven "crazy." We want to be clear that we don't tolerate this kind of language. Xiaz has since been removed from the team due to this and other unrelated issues.

Where We Stand Now

The Moods project is not even two months old. We're a very young team, passionate about building an app that we believe in, especially in light of Vent's closure. We understand that this drama has shaken people's faith in us. Some might think that because Giu came up with this idea suddenly, it can't be successful. We get that. A random person deciding to build an app overnight might seem very far-fetched.

Here's the truth: If you no longer believe in Moods, that's okay. The door is always open for you to leave. We appreciate the support we've received but we also respect everyone's right to choose what they want to be a part of. If you choose to stay, we're incredibly grateful for your continued support. We are committed to moving forward and delivering on our promise to build Moods. We may be new at this, but we're determined to learn, grow, and create something great.

A Message to Stonehaven

Stonehaven, we want to address your claims of feeling "shoved around." It's unclear to us where this sentiment comes from. Your only contribution to the project was an announcement outline, a valuable asset to be honest, but hardly grounds for feeling overburdened, and it was your idea. You mentioned being "forced to learn a new system," first of all: no one forced you, you wanted to do a mix of everything in the server so we gave you access to the development environment, and learning a new system is a fundamental aspect of building any new app, something every team member, including Giu, had to undertake. We intentionally did not ask you to take on tasks related to building within the app precisely because we recognized this was a new system for everyone. We're open to constructive criticism, but what's not shown in your screenshots is the repetitive nature of bringing up the logo issue, long after Giu had apologized. While we didn't expect you to simply "get over it," we hoped for understanding and a willingness to move forward as a team. It's also concerning that you're drawing comparisons between Giu and Jamie, the founder of TalkLife.

Giu's previous involvement as a user on TalkLife, compared to his time on Vent, is irrelevant and does not make him a bad person. Suggesting that he's somehow "playing" with the Vent community because of this is a baseless and frankly, an illogical accusation. It also seems like there's a double standard at play here. You freely express your opinions and criticisms towards us, but when we defend our position, you characterize it as "harassment". It's frustrating to engage in a dialogue where any pushback is immediately labeled as hostile or abusive.

Stonehaven, we understand you're angry. Giu's outburst was not how anyone should be treated. However, you must understand that this was not random, your actions leading up to that moment were the contributing factor. Repeatedly bringing up the logo issue, despite Giu's apologies, and your attempts to assert dominance based on your supposed experience created a toxic environment. And leaking confidential project information (days before all this chaos) was a serious breach of trust.

You are free to feel however you want about the situation. However, we ask you to stop trying to sabotage Moods. Things change, plans evolve, and ultimately, as the founder, Giu's decisions guide the project. We thought your "vast experience in the corporate world" would have taught you that. We won't be engaging with your narrative further as it is unproductive.

We want to be unequivocally clear: we are not attempting to excuse Xiaz's inappropriate comment or diminish the fact that Giu lost his temper. Both were in the wrong for escalating the situation in that manner.

A Sincere Apology

To Arin and other former team members who worked on logo concepts: we sincerely apologize. We know the initial logo situation was not handled well, and we regret any hurt it caused. You might feel a sense of vindication in light of recent events and that's your prerogative, but this is simply about offering a genuine apology for our part in that. Acceptance is your choice, and we understand either way. Despite everything, we valued your contributions and wish you the best in whatever you pursue next.

Moving Forward

To Arin, Stonehaven, Ciel, and the other team members who have chosen to leave the Moods project: we understand that these events have ended your trust in us and in the potential for Moods to succeed. The future of any project is uncertain. Whether Moods will ultimately flourish or fail remains to be seen, as is the nature of any new venture. We are not here to make predictions or to try and convince you of something you no longer believe.

While we genuinely wish you success, we also hope that this will extend to not utilizing the Moods app if it releases. Your lack of faith in the project suggests it wouldn't be a platform you'd genuinely enjoy or find beneficial. Thank you for your time, your past contributions, and we sincerely wish you well in finding projects that better align with your vision.

Jre is the only remaining original team member. We are actively rebuilding and are committed to creating a positive and productive environment. This project means a lot to us, and despite the recent turmoil, we are determined to make Moods a reality.

Thank you for taking the time to read our statement. We hope this provides some much-needed clarity.

Sincerely,

The Moods Team