WP Engine Files Lawsuit Against Automattic and Matt Mullenweg for Extortion and Abuse of Power
In a shocking turn of events, hosting provider WP Engine has taken legal action against Automattic and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg. The lawsuit alleges extortion and abuse of power by Mullenweg, who is also the CEO of Automattic. This comes after a heated dispute between the two parties over trademark infringement and contributions to the WordPress community.
WP Engine claims that Automattic and Mullenweg have failed to uphold their promises to run open-source WordPress projects without restrictions, allowing developers the freedom to build, modify, and distribute the software. The company stated, “Matt Mullenweg’s conduct has exposed significant conflicts of interest and governance issues that threaten to destroy trust within the WordPress community.”
The lawsuit, filed in a California court, also accuses Mullenweg of misleading about his control of WordPress Foundation and WordPress.org. The ongoing feud escalated when Mullenweg criticized WP Engine for trademark infringement, labeling them as the “Cancer of WordPress.” In response, WP Engine sent a cease-and-desist letter, prompting Automattic to issue their own letter accusing WP Engine of trademark violations.
Mullenweg further banned WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org resources, only to provide a temporary reprieve days later. Automattic proposed a seven-year term sheet, demanding WP Engine pay 8% of its gross revenues as a royalty fee for using WordPress and WooCommerce trademarks. WP Engine refused these terms, which also included restrictions on forking plugins and extensions.
In conclusion, this legal battle between WP Engine and Automattic/Mullenweg highlights the complexities of trademark infringement and governance issues within the WordPress community. It serves as a cautionary tale for businesses and individuals involved in open-source projects, emphasizing the importance of transparency and fair dealings to maintain trust and credibility.