Tensions have erupted between WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg and hosting provider WP Engine over trademark use, with accusations, bans, and community-wide concerns shaking the open-source ecosystem.
WordPress Founder Takes Aim at WP Engine
In mid-September, Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, stirred controversy by calling WP Engine a “cancer to WordPress” in a blog post. He accused WP Engine of disabling post revision history to cut costs, a feature Mullenweg deems crucial for protecting user data. He also criticized WP Engine's investor, Silver Lake, for insufficient contributions to the open-source project.
Legal Crossfire Ensues
WP Engine fired back with a cease-and-desist letter, demanding Mullenweg and Automattic retract their statements, arguing that their use of the WordPress trademark falls under fair use. They alleged Mullenweg threatened a "scorched earth nuclear approach" unless WP Engine agreed to pay a licensing fee for using the WordPress brand.
In response, Automattic issued its own cease-and-desist letter, asserting WP Engine had breached WordPress and WooCommerce trademark usage rules. The WordPress Foundation updated its trademark policy, warning WP Engine’s use of "WP" misleads users into believing it is officially affiliated with WordPress.
Ban and Community Outrage
Mullenweg escalated matters by banning WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org resources, disrupting website updates and leaving some vulnerable to security risks. This move sparked outrage within the WordPress community, as small website owners felt abandoned.
WP Engine countered with a statement, accusing Mullenweg of misusing his control over WordPress to interfere with WP Engine customers’ access, affecting the entire WordPress ecosystem. On September 27, WordPress.org temporarily lifted the ban, allowing access until October 1.
Trademark Concerns and Community Reactions
The WordPress community expressed worries over trademark clarity and how Automattic, holding an exclusive WordPress license, might enforce it. The WordPress Foundation’s recent filing for trademarks on “Managed WordPress” and “Hosted WordPress” has heightened concerns among developers about potential future restrictions.
WP Engine Responds to the Pressure
Facing mounting pressure, WP Engine updated its website’s footer on September 30 to clarify it is not affiliated with the WordPress Foundation. It also renamed its plans from “Essential WordPress,” “Core WordPress,” and “Enterprise WordPress” to avoid confusion.
Calls for More Independent Control
John O’Nolan, founder of open-source CMS Ghost, voiced his concerns about the centralization of power within WordPress, urging for more independent organizations. “40% of the web and 80% of the CMS market should not be controlled by any one individual,” he emphasized in an X post.
On October 1, WP Engine announced on X that it had successfully rolled out its own solution for updating plug-ins and themes.
WP Engine Faces Lawsuit and Staff Departures
On October 3, WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Automattic and its CEO, Matt Mullenweg, in California, accusing them of abusing power and failing to honour commitments to keep WordPress open-source and unrestricted.
WP Engine claims Mullenweg’s actions jeopardize the trust within the WordPress community. The lawsuit includes alleged texts from Mullenweg discussing the potential recruitment of WP Engine CEO Heather Brunner, a claim Mullenweg later commented on.
In response, Automattic labelled the lawsuit as without merit. Their legal representative, Neal Katyal, expressed confidence in the court’s eventual dismissal of the case.
Coinciding with this, 159 Automattic employees, from its WordPress division, exited the company after taking a severance package, citing disagreement with Mullenweg’s leadership. Notably, the former executive director of WordPress.org, Josepha Haden Chomphosy, was among the departing employees. A day later, WordPress named Mary Hubbard, previously with TikTok, as the new executive director. Meanwhile, one of WP Engine’s engineers announced they had joined Automattic.