The WordPress ecosystem, a major player in the website hosting and creation market, is currently embroiled in a high-stakes dispute. This confrontation pits Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, against WP Engine, a popular WordPress hosting provider. The tension largely revolves around trademark usage, revenue distribution, and control over access to WordPress’s core resources.
WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that powers about 40% of websites globally, making it foundational to the web’s infrastructure. Users can either self-host their WordPress sites or turn to providers like Automattic and WP Engine for more accessible, managed solutions. Recently, however, Mullenweg criticized WP Engine in a blog post, referring to it as “a cancer to WordPress,” accusing the company of blocking features that allow users to track post revision histories. Mullenweg claimed this action undermined a central user's right and alleged that WP Engine disabled it to reduce costs.
He also took issue with WP Engine’s investor, Silver Lake, claiming they haven’t contributed adequately to WordPress’s open-source development. Additionally, Mullenweg asserted that WP Engine’s use of “WP” in branding has led to public confusion, as many users mistakenly believe WP Engine is a direct branch of WordPress.
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Legal Escalation: Cease-and-Desist Letters
In response, WP Engine sent a cease-and-desist letter to Mullenweg and Automattic, challenging the claims and insisting that its use of “WP” falls under fair use. WP Engine claimed Mullenweg had threatened to take a “scorched earth” approach unless WP Engine agreed to allocate a substantial portion of its revenue to WordPress trademark use.
Automattic, in turn, issued its cease-and-desist letter, asserting that WP Engine had breached WordPress and WooCommerce trademark guidelines. The WordPress Foundation, which holds the trademarks, updated its policy to clarify the use of the “WP” abbreviation, further stating that WP Engine has not contributed financially to the Foundation while profiting from WordPress.
Restrictions and Community Outcry
Mullenweg went further by barring WP Engine from accessing resources on WordPress.org, which hosts essential themes and plug-ins. This disruption left many WP Engine-hosted sites without access to critical updates, leading to security risks. The community reacted strongly, with many seeing this move as potentially harmful to small website owners and users dependent on WP Engine’s infrastructure.
WP Engine responded, accusing Mullenweg of exploiting his control over WordPress to limit their access and service. The ban was lifted temporarily on September 27, allowing WP Engine access to WordPress.org resources until October 1. During this time, WP Engine updated its website footer to clarify its independence from the WordPress Foundation and rebranded some offerings to avoid trademark-related terms.
The Trademark Dispute Deepens
The ongoing debate over trademarks saw Automattic and WordPress’s governing bodies exploring new trademark filings, including terms like “Managed WordPress” and “Hosted WordPress.” These moves have alarmed other developers and companies that rely on WordPress, who fear similar restrictions and control might extend to them. John O’Nolan, the founder of the CMS Ghost, criticized WordPress’s concentration of control, arguing that such dominance is dangerous for open-source software. Similarly, David Heinemeier Hansson, creator of Ruby on Rails, condemned Automattic’s approach, seeing it as an abuse of open-source principles.
In another controversial move, Mullenweg added a new checkbox to the WordPress.org contributor login, requiring users to confirm they aren’t affiliated with WP Engine. This led to backlash within the WordPress contributor community, with some users alleging they were banned from the community Slack channel for expressing dissent.
WP Engine’s Legal Action and Further Tensions
On October 3, WP Engine escalated matters by filing a lawsuit against Automattic and Mullenweg in California, accusing them of abusing their power and threatening the open-source spirit of WordPress. WP Engine argued that Mullenweg’s recent actions highlight governance issues that could damage trust within the WordPress community. They stated that legal action was necessary to protect their employees, partners, and customers, as well as the larger WordPress ecosystem.
In response, Automattic’s legal counsel dismissed the lawsuit as meritless. Mullenweg defended his actions, emphasizing that WordPress.org is distinct from WordPress software itself and operates independently. He argued that Automattic and the WordPress Foundation are not responsible for providing resources to WP Engine for free without a binding contract.
WP Engine continued to pursue relief through a preliminary injunction, requesting the court to reinstate its access to WordPress.org resources. Automattic opposed this request, insisting that WP Engine can access WordPress software through GitHub without restriction. A hearing on the injunction was set for late November, leaving the future of WP Engine’s WordPress.org access uncertain.
Automattic’s Organizational Shifts and Community Reactions
Amid these disputes, Automattic saw significant changes within its workforce. On October 3, 159 employees who opposed Mullenweg’s direction accepted a severance package, with the majority working in Automattic’s WordPress division. Following this departure, Automattic appointed Mary Hubbard, former head of governance at TikTok U.S., as the new executive director, a role previously held by Josepha Haden Chomphosy.
In a gesture of gratitude, Mullenweg announced a distribution of shares to remaining employees. However, a subsequent offer allowed employees to take a nine-month severance if they chose to leave, with the caveat that they would lose access to the WordPress.org community if they accepted.
Broader Implications for WordPress and Open Source
The rift between Automattic and WP Engine has broader implications for the open-source community. Developers and users across the WordPress ecosystem worry that Automattic’s tightening grip on trademarks and resources might limit the open-source ethos that made WordPress so popular. There are growing calls within the community for clearer guidelines on trademark usage and the role of WordPress.org.
With high-profile developers voicing concerns, the controversy surrounding WordPress has intensified the conversation around open-source governance and the influence of corporate interests. As the legal battles unfold, the community is keenly watching for any shifts that might redefine the future of WordPress and open-source projects like it.
For now, the resolution between Automattic and WP Engine remains unclear, but this controversy has spotlighted the complexities of managing a widely adopted open-source technology and balancing the interests of both its creator and its community. As the WordPress Foundation continues to address trademark policies, the impact of this dispute will likely influence other platforms navigating the intersection of open source and commercial success.
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