The Bitter Trademark Battle Over WordPress  ## Metadata - Author: [[Jonathan Bailey]] - Full Title: The Bitter Trademark Battle Over WordPress - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: - #wordpress - #trademarks - #openSourceGovernance Author: Jonathan Bailey Source: Plagiarism Today (article) Reference: https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2024/09/30/the-bitter-trademark-battle-over-wordpress/ date created: 2025-08-21 00:00 --- # Title: The Bitter Trademark Battle Over WordPress — Notes and Analysis ## Table of Contents: - [🧭 Overview](#-overview) - [🕰️ Timeline](#-timeline) - [⚖️ Issues in Dispute](#-issues-in-dispute) - [🔎 Trademark Context](#-trademark-context) - [🚩 The Big Problem](#-the-big-problem) - [🧠 Author’s Position](#-authors-position) - [🔗 References](#-references) - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#-notes) - [📖 References (Citations)](#-references-citations) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items (GoDaddy DevRel/OSPO Alignment)](#-action-items-godaddy-devrelospo-alignment) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical validity](#-logical-validity) - [🧭 DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🔍 SEO Evaluation](#-seo-evaluation) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### References: - WordCamp US 2024 keynote context and follow-on posts - WordPress Foundation trademark guidance (including “WP” usage policy change) - Five for the Future initiative - Community commentary (e.g., Joost de Valk) ## 🧭 Overview: The article recounts a public conflict between Automattic (and Matt Mullenweg) and WP Engine over alleged trademark misuse and insufficient contribution to WordPress, escalating from a WordCamp US keynote into dueling cease-and-desist letters and a temporary block of WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org update services. It evaluates the legitimacy of concerns, condemns the approach (calling it petty/unprofessional and risky for security), and calls for greater transparency and governance in WordPress. ## 🕰️ Timeline: - 2024-09-17: Mullenweg posts “WordCamp US & Ecosystem Thinking,” asserting WP Engine contributes only 1–2% of Automattic’s level to Five for the Future. [link] - 2024-09-20: WordCamp US keynote in Portland; public call-out of WP Engine; offer to refund its $75,000 sponsorship; request users not to support it. [link] - 2024-09-21: “WP Engine is not WordPress” post on WordPress.org; repeats trademark and contribution claims; alleges WP Engine disables post revisions. [link] - 2024-09-23: WP Engine sends cease-and-desist to Automattic/Mullenweg alleging false, harmful statements and misinformation. [link] - 2024-09-25: Automattic sends cease-and-desist alleging WP Engine’s trademark misuse. [link] - 2024-09-25: Automattic bans WP Engine from WordPress.org updates; partial reprieve granted until Oct 1 to allow mirrors. [link] - Current: No lawsuits filed; tensions ongoing; users potentially impacted. [link] Note: Each “link” above corresponds to the article’s own dated sequence and statements. ## ⚖️ Issues in Dispute: - Trademark usage: - WP Engine’s historic/marketing usage: “Essential WordPress,” “Core WordPress,” “Enterprise WordPress,” and the “WP” abbreviation. - Automattic/WordPress Foundation’s tightening stance; new filings for “Managed WordPress,” “Hosted WordPress.” - Foundation’s policy change on “WP” usage (previously permissive). - Contribution to the project: - Five for the Future pledges and relative contributions. - Broader forms of contribution: plugins, sponsorships, adoption support. ## 🔎 Trademark Context: - The WordPress Foundation holds the “WordPress,” “WordCamp,” and logo marks; licenses them to Automattic, which manages sublicensing. - Historically, the Foundation permitted “WP” usage “any way you see fit” until a recent policy update explicitly referencing WP Engine. - Marketplace confusion is plausible; however, many actors (WPBeginner, GoDaddy “Managed WordPress Basic,” WPMU Dev) use similar terms. ## 🚩 The Big Problem: - The article argues Automattic’s enforcement approach—keynote call-out and blocking updates—is counterproductive, risks user security, and undermines confidence. - Security risk: blocking updates exposes sites to malware/spam, harming the broader internet, not just WP Engine customers. - Optics: selective enforcement looks vindictive; fuels instability perceptions in the ecosystem. ## 🧠 Author’s Position: - Generally sympathetic to Automattic’s need to defend marks and desire for contribution. - Strongly critical of tactics used; calls the approach petty, unprofessional, and harmful. - Advocates for transparency and shared governance proportional to contributions (aligning with Joost de Valk’s view). ## 🔗 References: - Five for the Future initiative page and pledges - WordPress Foundation trademark policy - WordCamp US 2024 communications and posts - Joost de Valk’s commentary on governance and contributor voice ## 📝 Summary: Automattic’s CEO, Matt Mullenweg, publicly accused WP Engine of trademark misuse and inadequate contribution to WordPress, escalating from blog posts and a WordCamp US keynote to mutual cease-and-desist letters and a temporary block of WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org updates. While trademark concerns are not baseless, the article contends the method of enforcement is harmful—jeopardizing site security and eroding developer trust. It calls for consistent, transparent governance and for contributors to have a voice commensurate with their investment. ## 📖 Main Content: - Context: WordPress’s GPL nature, separation of WordPress.org and WordPress.com under Automattic, and the Foundation’s trademark role. - Contributions: The Five for the Future program versus broader ecosystem support like sponsoring events, managing free plugins, and driving adoption. - Trademark specifics: WP Engine’s naming conventions; Automattic’s new filings; changing “WP” guidance; prevalence of similar uses across the ecosystem. - Escalation: Public call-outs and technical blocks as leverage; risks to user security and platform reputation. - Governance concerns: Centralized power versus community voice; need for transparent norms and predictable enforcement. ### 🗒️ Notes - WordCamp US keynote became flashpoint; community generally reacted negatively (shock; perceived pettiness). - Legal posture: C&D letters from both sides; no litigation yet. - Update-blocking reprieve to Oct 1; push for mirrors indicates anticipatory decoupling by hosts. - Double standard risk: Many companies use “WordPress”/“Managed WordPress”; selective enforcement invites chilling effects. - Stability matters: WordPress’s historical advantage tied to predictable stewardship; recent actions may unsettle developers. - Security externality: Punitive update restrictions harm third parties (visitors, web integrity). - Governance ask: If companies are asked to “pay tribute” or contribute, they should gain proportional influence and transparency into decision-making. ## 📖 References (Citations): - WordCamp US 2024 keynote remarks summary and community response - WordPress.org post “WP Engine is not WordPress” - Five for the Future pledge listing (includes WP Engine’s 40 hrs/week) - WordPress Foundation trademark policy (noting “WP” change) - Joost de Valk commentary on contributor governance ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1) Original idea: “Singling them out in a keynote and then turning off their access to updates is not the solution... It also harms regular WordPress users... This makes the whole internet a much worse place.” Paraphrase: Publicly targeting WP Engine from the stage and then cutting off its access to core and extension updates is the wrong remedy. It punishes everyday site owners more than it pressures the company, creating avoidable security exposure that can ripple across the broader web. 2) Original idea: “If Automattic is going to demand that companies like WP Engine pay tribute, then those who contribute deserve a voice... Greater transparency is needed...” Paraphrase: When Automattic ex - Summary: Over the past week, Automattic has been battling WP Engine over WordPress-related issues. Here's what is going on. - URL: https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2024/09/30/the-bitter-trademark-battle-over-wordpress/   On September 20th, Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of Automattic, [delivered the conference’s keynote at WordCamp US in Portland, Oregon](https://www.youtube.com/live/vEcz7DrjYvY?si=aPl7g1bHiHMAmOuK&t=25711). It’s an event that has happened dozens of times in the past, usually with minimal controversy or concern. However, this year would be very different. That’s because Mullenweg used the platform to fire the first major salvo at [WP Engine](https://wpengine.com/), a popular hosting company specializing in WordPress sites. Mullenweg accused WP Engine, who had a booth at the event, of misusing the WordPress trademark and failing to give back to WordPress. [The comments were not received exceptionally well by the WordPress community](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/wordpress-co-founder-mullenweg-sparks-backlash/527743/). Most described the audience’s reaction as shock, saying the call-out did more harm than good and came across as petty. However, the battle didn’t end there. Instead, Mullenweg has since doubled down. The two sides have exchanged legal threats and, for a brief period, Automattic blocked WP Engine servers from accessing their update repositories. So, what is going on, and what does it mean for WordPress’s future? To understand, we first need some background. ###### Background Information ***Disclosure:** I have developed sites on WordPress for over 20 years, including this one. I am also a former co-host of the WordPress podcast and have spoken at several WordCamp events. However, I have no direct relationship with Automattic.* To be clear, [WordPress](https://wordpress.org/) is open-source software that anyone is free to use, copy, edit or manipulate within the terms of the GPL license. [Automattic](https://automattic.com/) is a company with Mullenweg as the CEO. It owns and operates both WordPress.org, the site for self-hosted WordPress, and WordPress.com, a hosting service based on WordPress. Automattic also offers other tools, such as Jetpack and WooCommerce. Mullenweg also founded the WordPress Foundation, [a](https://wordpressfoundation.org/trademark-policy/) [non-profit organization that oversees trademarks related to WordPress, including](https://wordpressfoundation.org/trademark-policy/) marks such as WordPress, WordCamp and the WordPress logo. Currently, the organization exclusively licenses those marks to Automattic, which handles sublicenses. Finally, since 2104, WordPress.org has also hosted the Five for the Future initiative. This initiative encourages companies that profit from WordPress to dedicate time to improving WordPress itself. The initiative currently has 193 pledges, including WP Engine, which pledges 40 hours per week. With those elements understood, we can begin to parse the dispute itself. ###### The Dispute So Far On September 17, Mullenweg posted a blog entry entitled “[WordCamp US & Ecosystem Thinking](https://ma.tt/).” Though not as harsh as his keynote days later, it called out WP Engine, saying the company contributes 1%-2% of what Automattic does to Five for the Future despite its similar size. However, the battle formally kicked off with the keynote speech on the 20th. In that speech, [he openly criticized WP Engine and asked users not to support it](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/wordpress-co-founder-mullenweg-sparks-backlash/527743/). He even [offered to return the $75,000 WP Engine paid to be a Super Admin Sponsor of the event](https://wptavern.com/highlights-from-matt-mullenwegs-spiciest-word-camp-presentation-at-wordcamp-us-2024). The next day, Mullwenweg posted an article on the WordPress.org blog entitled “[WP Engine is not WordPress](https://wordpress.org/news/2024/09/wp-engine/).” In addition to repeating the arguments about WP Engine misusing the trademark and not contributing enough to WordPress itself, he accused the company of turning off post revisions, a core feature of WordPress. On the 23rd, [WP Engine sent Automattic a](https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/23/wp-engine-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-automattic-over-mullenwegs-comments/) [cease-an](https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/23/wp-engine-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-automattic-over-mullenwegs-comments/)[d-desist letter.](https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/23/wp-engine-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-automattic-over-mullenwegs-comments/) The letter demanded that Automattic and Mullenweg stop making and retract “false, harmful and disparaging statements against WP Engine ” and accused Mullenweg of spreading misinformation about the company. On the 25th, Automattic responded in kind. [The company sent its own cease-and-desist letter](https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/legal-ping-pong-in-the-wordpress-world-continues-automattic-now-sends-wp-engine-a-cease-and-desist-letter-alleging-trademark-infringement/), accusing WP Engine of misusing the WordPress trademark. That same day, Mullenweg posted that Automattic [had banned WP Engine from using WordPress.org](https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/25/legal-ping-pong-in-the-wordpress-world-continues-automattic-now-sends-wp-engine-a-cease-and-desist-letter-alleging-trademark-infringement/). This prevented WP Engine users from updating plugins, themes or the WordPress core. [Though Automattic granted a reprieve two days later](https://wordpress.org/news/2024/09/wp-engine-reprieve/), that reprieve only lasts until October 1st. They hope that WP Engine will have created mirrors of WordPress.org services by then. That is where we are today. No lawsuits have been filed, but the battle seems far from over. But, as WP Engine and Automattic go to war, the average user is caught in the crossfire. ###### Who’s Wrong and Who’s Right The dispute concerns two separate matters: the use of the WordPress trademark and whether WP Engine is doing enough to support WordPress as a whole. The second point is not something I can discuss too deeply. I’m not an open-source developer. While it is true that WP Engine gives significantly less than Automattic through Five for the Future, it also supports the community in other ways. It manages several [popular](https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-custom-fields/), [free](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-migrate-db/) plugins, sponsors WordPress events, and encourages the adoption of WordPress. Whether that is “enough” is a matter of debate. However, it’s pretty difficult to deny that WP Engine does give back at least some. The trademark issue is something that I can speak to with more clarity. Over the years, WP Engine has extensively used the various WordPress trademarks. Until recently, WP Engine [called its plans “Essential WordPress,” “Core WordPress,” and “Enterprise WordPress.”](https://wpengine.com/plans/) It has also used the name WP Engine, which stands for “WordPress Engine.” Automattic has also filed for new marks, [including “Managed WordPress” and “Hosted WordPress.”](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/wordpress-files-to-trademark-managed-wordpress-hosted-wordpress/528112/) However, those marks have not been granted yet. Mullenweg convincingly argues that there has been some confusion in the marketplace. I also agree that WP Engine may have been a bit too loose with its use of the WordPress mark in the past. However, there are two problems with that. First, before September 19th, [the WordPress Foundation encouraged people to use the “WP” abbreviation](https://web.archive.org/web/20240919043912/https://wordpressfoundation.org/trademark-policy/) “any way you see fit.” Now that the policy has been updated to reference WP Engine directly. Second, WP Engine is far from the only service that misuses these marks. You have long-running websites like [WPBeginner](https://www.wpbeginner.com/), [GoDaddy naming its plans “Managed WordPress Basic,”](https://www.godaddy.com/hosting/wordpress-hosting) and popular WordPress developers like [WPMU Dev](https://wpmudev.com/). In short, developers are nervous and have every right to be. ###### The Big Problem What’s clear from this is that Mullenweg, Automattic and the WordPress Foundation want to tighten their grip on their trademarks. Though Mullenweg insists that WP Engine is the only problem, his actions suggest otherwise. That’s especially true for the new trademark registrations. Many companies use “WordPress Hosting” or “Managed WordPress” in their service descriptions, and it is unclear what will happen to them. That said, I agree there is a legitimate trademark dispute between Automattic and WP Engine. Automattic has an obligation to defend its trademarks, and if it feels that WP Engine has crossed a line, it should respond. However, this is not the way to do it. Singling them out in a keynote and then turning off their access to updates is not the solution. It comes across as petty and unprofessional. It also harms regular WordPress users far more than it hurts WP Engine. To make matters worse, this is a security risk. WP Engine sites will become less secure if they can’t get updates. Those sites will harm visitors and other internet users by becoming havens for malware and spam. This makes the whole internet a much worse place, not just the WordPress community. Even if Automattic is 100% right about WP Engine, its actions make it another villain in the story. ###### Bottom Line To be clear, my instinct is to side with Automattic. Not only have I used WordPress for over two decades, [but I’ve been an avid supporter and fan of WordPress for just as long](https://medium.com/@plagiarismtoday/wordpress-is-at-a-crossroads-133638714a52). I’ve remained a WordPress supporter through all the ups and downs (mostly downs lately). However, [WordPress didn’t become the dominant platform](https://colorlib.com/wp/wordpress-statistics/) on the web just because it was better. It got there because it was stable. One of the key reasons WordPress beat MovableType in the mid-2000s was because [MovableType drastically changed its licensing practices in 2004](https://www.krsaborio.net/internet/research/2004/0615.htm). If developers are going to invest the time, energy and expertise to learn a platform, they have to believe there will be a long-term return on that investment. WordPress has largely offered that. [Though the controversial switch to Gutenberg in 2019 shook that stability somewhat](https://www.friday.ie/blog/wordpress-the-gutenberg-controversy/), most weathered the storm. This, however, paints an even worse picture. Developers see Automattic tightening its grip on its trademarks and targeting a large company at the whims of one person, Matt Mullenweg. Yes, the issues are real, but this approach comes across as petty and vindictive. Those aren’t words that give developers confidence in a platform. In the end, [I agree with Joost de Valk](https://joost.blog/transparency-contribution-and-the-future-of-wordpress/), the creator of the popular Yoast SEO plugin. If Automattic is going to demand that companies like WP Engine pay tribute, then those who contribute deserve a voice in the future direction of WordPress. Greater transparency is needed in WordPress’ development/outreach, and those who contribute deserve a voice in how their contribution is used. It’s a simple idea whose time has come. ###### Want to Reuse or Republish this Content? If you want to feature this article in your site, classroom or elsewhere, just let us know! We usually grant permission within 24 hours. [Click Here to Get Permission for Free](https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/reprint-permissions/), The Bitter Trademark Battle Over WordPress, Jonathan Bailey, 01j92cneyzwxkj491yfyjb8589.