WordPress: Community, Code, Conduct  ## Metadata - Author: [[Zack Katz]] - Full Title: WordPress: Community, Code, Conduct - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: - #WordPress - #CommunityCodeOfConduct - #OpenSourceGovernance Author: Zack Katz Source: Article Reference: https://katz.co/11616/ date created: 2025-08-22 00:00 --- # Title: WordPress: Community, Code, Conduct ## Table of Contents: - [📚 References](#references-include-a-list-of-sources-consulted-and-cited-in-the-article) - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#-notes) - [📖 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 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-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-belonging-assessment) - [✅ Logical validity](#-logical-validity) - [🔍 DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis-prompt) - [🔍 SEO Evaluation](#-seo-evaluation) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### References: Include a list of sources consulted and cited in the article. - WordPress Community Code of Conduct - Mastodon thread by Mika Epstein (quoted) - The Matt Report interview with Matt Mullenweg (2015, referenced) - Steve Jobs OpenDoc Q&A clip (referenced) ## 📝 Summary: The article argues that WordPress is fundamentally a people-centered community bound by a clear Code of Conduct that expects kindness, accountability, and inclusion. The author shares personal experiences of joining the community, reflects on handling criticism productively, and stresses the necessity of actively enforcing community rules. They document recent concerns about Matt Mullenweg’s public conduct—framed as violations of the Code—and call for accountability via acknowledgment and apology to preserve community norms and trust. ## 📖 Main Content: The author situates WordPress as a values-driven community where norms matter as much as code. They discuss the emotional complexity of receiving criticism and the importance of distinguishing between critique of actions and personal attacks. They argue that without consistent enforcement of rules, norms erode and harmful behavior is normalized. The piece presents specific unacceptable behaviors, emphasizes that leaders carry heightened responsibility, and urges restorative steps: recognition, responsibility, apology, and learning. The conclusion points readers to formal reporting processes to uphold standards. ### 🗒️ Notes - Origins and belonging - First community encounter (Denver, Feb 2009), meeting Matt Mullenweg; feeling welcomed and included. - Community identity: “WordPress is people,” not just software; shared values of accessibility and diversity. - Handling criticism - Personal struggle: separating product feedback from personal worth. - Through therapy, learning that “criticizing something is not criticizing someone.” - Best practices: receive feedback as content, not attack; respond with kindness, forgiveness, and care. - Enforcement matters - Without enforced rules, communities “rot”; norms shift gradually by tolerating exceptions. - Calling out abusive behavior gives opportunity for recognition, change, and apology. - What’s unacceptable - Insulting/derogatory comments, taunting/baiting, personal/political attacks. - Public or private harassment. - Code applies in all community spaces, including when one represents the community. - Leadership responsibility - Leaders lose some individuality; duty to “watch your mouth” and “listen to people” (Mika Epstein’s framing). - Leader conduct rewrites norms if violations go unaddressed. - On Matt Mullenweg - Strengths: visionary, articulate, committed to open source; inspired the author’s GitHub openness. - Concern: periodic vindictiveness; recent example involving .com vs .org discourse, belittling community members, blocking a team lead. - The problem is not imperfection but lack of public apology/ownership after outbursts. - Restorative path - Accept responsibility, apologize, learn from mistakes; uphold the Code. - Reporting pathway exists ([email protected]) for unacceptable behavior. ## 📖 References: - WordPress Community Code of Conduct: “We pledge to act and interact in ways that contribute to an open, welcoming, diverse, and inclusive community.” - Mika Epstein’s perspective on representation and responsibility (quoted in the article). - The Matt Report (2015) interview with Matt Mullenweg (inspired moving GravityView to GitHub). - Steve Jobs OpenDoc Q&A (as a model of acknowledging criticism). ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: - Original idea: “Through therapy, I have worked on internalizing that criticizing something is not criticizing someone. Not liking what someone does is not the same as not liking someone.” - Paraphrase: Therapy helped me internalize a crucial distinction: feedback about a decision or product isn’t a judgment of my character. Disapproval of an action doesn’t equate to rejection of the person. - Original idea: “Without enforced rules, any society or community will rot… If the community rules are not enforced, the community itself recognizes that rules don’t apply to everyone equally… We are what we allow.” - Paraphrase: When rules aren’t applied consistently, communities decay. Failing to enforce standards signals that some people are exempt, or that harmful behavior is acceptable. Ultimately, a community’s identity is defined by what it tolerates. ## 📰 Newsletter: Title: Building Better WordPress Communities: Accountability, Inclusion, and the Way Forward Learning web development - Keep leveling up: practice by contributing small fixes to themes/plugins and documenting what you learn. It’s the fastest path to mastering PHP, JS, HTML/CSS, and Git workflows. Recent updates - Community focus: renewed conversations around upholding the WordPress Community Code of Conduct—emphasizing kindness, accountability, and inclusion. - Pro tip: review project communication norms before posting in forums or Slack; a little prep avoids big headaches. Community highlights - Shout-out to leaders advocating for accessible and diverse spaces. Remember: leadership means listening first and modeling constructive feedback. New plugins and picks - Explore lightweight moderation helpers for forums/communities, and try contribution-friendly tooling: commit message linters, issue templates, and Code of Conduct checklists. Must-reads - On why enforcing community rules matters and how apologies restore trust. For a thoughtful take on code, conduct, and culture, see WordPress: Community, Code, Conduct (Zack Katz). Calls to action - Review the Code of Conduct with your team this week. - Add an “accountability” section to your project docs—how to report, how you respond, and how you repair. ## ✅ Action Items: A prompt that aligns articles with your Developer Advocate and future OSPO Director focus Use this prompt for each article you read: - Purpose: Explain how this article informs open-source governance, contributor experience, and educational practice within WordPress. - Governance and Policy: - Which norms, codes, or policies are implicated? What enforcement mechanisms are proposed? - How could an OSPO operationalize these (e.g., incident response, reporting channels, leader training)? - Contributor Engagement: - What frictions or harms affect contributors? What restorative practices are suggested? - How can onboarding materials incorporate these lessons (e.g., Code of Conduct walkthroughs, feedback etiquette)? - Education and Enablement: - Which teachable moments can be turned into workshops, tutorials, or office hours? - What artifacts (checklists, templates, role-play scripts) can help staff and volunteers practice constructive feedback and accountability? - Sustainability and Funding: - How do community health and trust affect funding or corporate support? What metrics would you collect? - Transparency and Inclusivity: - Where should public reporting, post-incident reviews, and apology protocols live? - How do you ensure - Document Tags: [[wordpress]] - Summary: WordPress is a community-driven platform that values openness, inclusivity, and diversity. The author shares their positive experience within the WordPress community and emphasizes the importance of calling out abusive behavior and enforcing community rules. They discuss the role of Matt Mullenweg, the co-founder of WordPress, and express concern over his recent violation of the community code of conduct. The author believes that an apology and reflection on his behavior are necessary for upholding the values of the WordPress community. They encourage reporting any behavior that goes against the community's principles. - URL: https://katz.co/11616/  > We pledge to act and interact in ways that contribute to an open, welcoming, diverse, and inclusive community. > > I had been using WordPress for nearly two years, but I became a member of the WordPress community on a cold, clear day on February 2009 at the Denver Art Museum. I attended a presentation by Alex King and laughed at the talk by Ben Huh, the guy who created [I Can Haz Cheezburger](https://icanhas.cheezburger.com). But that was also the day I met Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress. Matt presented a mini “State of the Word” and, after, I went up to him and stumbled on my words, saying “Thanks for making WordPress. Code…um…is Poetry!” He graciously chuckled and said thanks, nice to meet me, and I moved on. I felt that I was now a community member. #### Responding to a business criticism with personal insults As a business owner, it’s hard not to take criticisms of my products personally. I need to be in the right state of mind and, if I’m not, I can respond defensively. My wife, Juniper, and I co-own the business, but I run it. Sometimes, when we discuss issues or I share decisions I made, she disagrees with my choices. It can be hard—*so* hard!—for me to hear what she says, to receive it as feedback (not as an attack), and to respond to the content of her message. **Criticism can feel personal**. When growing up, I took criticism deeply personally as well. When I did something wrong, it felt like it was because *I was wrong.* Through therapy, I have worked on internalizing that **criticizing some*thing* is not criticizing some*one***. Not liking what someone does is not the same as not liking someone. #### Kindness, forgiveness, caring I recognize my privilege in having a positive experience of the WordPress community and being in a place where I feel safe publishing this post. My impression of the WordPress community is of people who want to be positive and support each other. Beneath all the drama is a group of people who share a common belief: **we can improve**. The increasing awareness and care given to accessibility and diversity reflect the core values of the project. I feel that WordPress is on a path bending toward love and inclusion. Is it wrong to use words such as “love” when describing the WordPress community? No, it is not wrong: WordPress is more than software. [WordPress is people](https://poststatus.com/wordpress-is-people-weekly-community-update/). > [WordPress is] people. It’s created by people. It’s used by people. It relies on people to move it forward, to modify it, to moderate it, and to build community around it. > > John Donne said “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.” The same is true about WordPress. Each of us is part of it. WordPress is you and me. It’s us. > > #### Calling out abusive behavior in the WordPress project > Retaliation against those who raise concerns or make reports in good faith will not be tolerated. > > Without enforced rules, any society or community will rot. **When a person engages in abusive behavior, the community must call them out.** By being made aware of their negative behavior, the person then has the opportunity to recognize, change their behavior, and apologize. If the community rules are not enforced, the community itself recognizes that rules don’t apply to everyone equally or that the behavior in question was acceptable. This is a common theme recently in the world today: norms being shifted. The [gradual](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gradualism) decline of an ideal, society, or an open-source project is formed through a series of events over time. **We are what we allow.** So, what is unacceptable behavior in WordPress? > Examples of unacceptable behavior include: > > * Insulting or derogatory comments, taunting or baiting, and personal or political attacks > * Public or private harassment > > The [WordPress Community Code of Conduct](https://make.wordpress.org/handbook/community-code-of-conduct/#our-expectations) states that its guidelines apply “…within all community spaces (virtual and in-person) and applies when an individual officially represents the community in public spaces.” I argue that when Matt discusses WordPress-related topics, on any platform, **Matt is representing the community**. He is the co-founder and often the project lead. He gives the State of the Word. Whether he likes it or not, Matt represents WordPress. So when Matt violates the community code of conduct, that is a serious breach of our ethics and norms. It rewrites the *actual* community rules. Mika Epstein, long-time head of the Plugins team, wrote [a Mastodon thread](https://mastodon.social/@[email protected]/111065430393338928) that summarizes this perfectly: > When you rep a ‘thing’ (like being the ‘face of’ a project, or even just the captain of the chess team) you lose your individuality.…It will forever remain on my shoulders the RESPONSIBILITY to watch my mouth when I communicate and how, lest it impact WordPress.…The flip side is that it’s ALSO my responsibility to LISTEN TO PEOPLE. Even if I hate what they say.…You don’t get to be you anymore, so watch your step and shut up more. > > #### A visionary can make mistakes Over the years, I have been impressed by Matt’s passion for open source. He seems to truly believe in the idea of growing the internet through free and open source software. Mullenweg’s [2015 interview on The Matt Report](https://mattreport.com/interview-matt-mullenweg/) podcast [convinced me](https://wptavern.com/gravityview-is-now-public-on-github) to make the GravityView plugin [public on GitHub](https://github.com/GravityKit/GravityView). > I’ve always been a fan of businesses that grow with ubiquity, that become more powerful the more ubiquitous they are, more valuable. WordPress itself is one of these. Akismet is one of these. Jetpack is certainly one of those. > > His message then—and still today—is one of the internet being a garden of hope and opportunity. That, by working together and growing a community, a new world of openness and interoperability may prevail. He speaks clearly and confidently. Sometimes, upon being asked a question he hadn’t considered, he often pauses to reflect, then—in a soft, measured tone—answers a different question. The way Matt reframes the questions reveals to me his higher-level thinking. He appears to turn problem over, seeing many different shapes of it, then responds with an answer. The answer may not directly address the question, often expounding upon higher-level concepts. Matt’s vision is valuable. Having someone at the top of the WordPress project and Automattic with this philosophical bent is, I believe, part of the reason WordPress has been so successful. But every now and then, Matt reveals his vindictive side. The most recent example is related to [another flare-up of WordPress.com vs WordPress.org](https://wptavern.com/developers-claim-damaged-trust-following-public-confrontations-with-wordpress-leadership) debate. Matt responded to criticisms by—over the course of multiple days—belittling the careers and accomplishments of multiple community members and blocking a WordPress team lead. I am reminded of my favorite Steve Jobs video where, shortly after returning to Apple, he was criticized on-stage for shutting down OpenDoc, a nascent technology that showed lots of promise. **Jobs transformed the criticism by acknowledging it.** By recognizing that he isn’t perfect. By absorbing the insult and reflecting back the core beliefs of the company and what they were trying to do. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. It’s beautiful: Some content could not be imported from the original document. [View content ↗](https://www.youtube.com/embed/oeqPrUmVz-o?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent) Steve Jobs may be an apt comparison. He was a visionary but also was someone known to be abusive. > To Andy Hertzfeld, an early Apple engineer who stayed friends with Jobs, this didn’t make sense. As he told Walter Isaacson “The one question I’d love Steve to answer is: **‘Why are you sometimes so mean?**’” > > #### Is it okay that Matt can be so mean? No. The WordPress community is clear about what is expected from its members: * [We as members](https://make.wordpress.org/handbook/community-code-of-conduct/#our-expectations), contributors, and leaders pledge to make participation in our community a harassment-free experience for everyone…We pledge to act and interact in ways that contribute to an open, welcoming, diverse, and inclusive community. * [“Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.”](https://learn.wordpress.org/online-workshops/code-of-conduct/) The Code of Conduct is clear about what is expected when someone has erred. Under “Examples of behavior that contributes to a positive environment for our community” is this: **“Accepting responsibility and apologizing to those affected by our mistakes, and learning from the experience”** My largest concern is not when Matt has outbursts (he is human). My greatest concern is the lack of a public apology or statement about his behavior. I believe an apology is in order because I believe **Matt Mullenweg violated the WordPress Community Code of Conduct**. I hope Matt chooses to reflect, accept responsibility, apologize, and learn from his behavior. WordPress needs Matt. And as a community member, Matt needs to uphold the Code of Conduct. #### What next? When a community member violates the Code of Conduct, [there is a process](https://make.wordpress.org/handbook/community-code-of-conduct/#enforcement): > Instances of abusive, harassing, or otherwise unacceptable behavior may be reported to the Executive Director and Community Deputies responsible for enforcement at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). All complaints will be reviewed and investigated promptly and fairly. > > If you believe *any* member is making the community less open, welcoming, diverse, and inclusive, reporting that behavior—in accordance with our Code of Conduct—seems like a good place to start., WordPress: Community, Code, Conduct, Zack Katz, 01hamvtzdynnfyxgbpsv2b11jr.