Judge Orders Automattic to Restore WP Engine's Access to WordPress.org Resources

In a significant development within the WordPress ecosystem, a California District Court judge has granted a preliminary injunction against Automattic, the parent company behind WordPress.com, and its CEO, Matt Mullenweg. The ruling mandates that Automattic must cease blocking WP Engine's access to crucial resources on WordPress.org and stop interfering with its plugins, including the widely used Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin.

This legal victory for WP Engine, a prominent third-party WordPress hosting service, stems from a lawsuit filed in October. WP Engine accused Automattic and Mullenweg of engaging in actions that caused "multiple forms of immediate irreparable harm," seeking court intervention to halt the alleged interference.

The Genesis of the Conflict

The dispute erupted publicly in September when Matt Mullenweg initiated a campaign against WP Engine. Mullenweg, a co-founder of WordPress and a central figure in the open-source project, publicly accused WP Engine of misusing the WordPress trademark and failing to contribute adequately to the community that powers the platform. This campaign escalated into tangible actions that directly impacted WP Engine's operations.

Following the public accusations, Automattic took steps to block WP Engine from accessing servers and resources hosted on WordPress.org. WordPress.org serves as the central hub for the open-source project, hosting the core software, plugin and theme directories, support forums, and development resources. Access to these resources is fundamental for businesses built on the WordPress platform, including hosting providers like WP Engine and plugin developers.

Further escalating the conflict, Automattic took control of the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin, a popular tool for developers and users to add custom fields to WordPress content. This move was seen by many as a direct attack on WP Engine, which had acquired the plugin's developer, Delicious Brains, in 2021.

WP Engine's Legal Challenge

Facing what it described as existential threats to its business, WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Automattic and Mullenweg. The core of WP Engine's argument was that Automattic's actions were not merely a public relations campaign but deliberate attempts to disrupt its business relationships and operations by leveraging control over WordPress.org resources.

WP Engine subsequently sought a preliminary injunction from the court, asking for an immediate order to stop Mullenweg and Automattic from restricting its access to WordPress.org and interfering with its plugins. The company argued that the ongoing restrictions were causing irreparable harm that could not be compensated by monetary damages later.

The Court's Ruling on the Preliminary Injunction

Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín presided over the motion for a preliminary injunction. In her ruling, the judge found substantial merit in WP Engine's claims of irreparable harm. The court specifically noted that Mullenweg's conduct appeared "designed to induce breach or disruption" of WP Engine's business relationships.

A key point of contention was Automattic's defense, which characterized WP Engine's alleged harm as "self-imposed." Automattic argued that WP Engine built its business around a website (WordPress.org) to which it had no contractual right to use. However, Judge Martínez-Olguín was not persuaded by this argument, stating, "Defendants’ role in helping that harm materialize through their recent targeted actions toward WPEngine, and no other competitor, cannot be ignored."

The judge's order detailed specific actions Automattic must cease immediately:

• Stop blocking WP Engine's access to WordPress.org resources.
• Stop interfering with WP Engine's plugins, including ACF.
• Take down the list of companies displayed on a site created by Automattic to track customers moving away from WP Engine.
• Remove the checkbox that required WordPress users to verify they were not affiliated with WP Engine when logging in.

The court's decision underscores the finding that WP Engine demonstrated it would suffer irreparable harm without this injunctive relief. The ruling also acknowledged the potential impact on members of the broader WordPress community who rely on the open-source platform and its associated services.

Reactions and Future Outlook

Following the ruling, WP Engine expressed gratitude for the court's decision. In a public statement, the company said, "We are grateful that the court has granted our motion for a preliminary injunction that restores access to and functionality of wordpressdotorg for WP Engine, its customers and its users."

Automattic, while acknowledging the ruling, indicated its intention to continue the legal battle. A spokesperson for Automattic stated that the ruling was a "preliminary order designed to maintain the status quo" and was made without the benefit of full discovery or Automattic's planned counterclaims. The company expressed confidence in prevailing at trial, emphasizing its commitment to protecting the open-source ecosystem.

The preliminary injunction is a significant, though not final, step in this legal dispute. It provides temporary relief to WP Engine by restoring access to critical resources and halting specific actions taken by Automattic. However, the core issues raised in the lawsuit, including the nature of the relationship between commercial entities and the open-source project, trademark usage, and competitive practices within the WordPress ecosystem, will likely be decided in a full trial.

The Interplay Between Commercial Interests and Open Source

This case highlights the complex relationship between commercial companies that build businesses around open-source projects and the foundations or companies that heavily contribute to or control aspects of those projects. WordPress.org is a vibrant open-source community project, while Automattic is a commercial entity that employs many core contributors and operates related services like WordPress.com and Jetpack.

Managed WordPress hosting providers like WP Engine rely heavily on the stability, accessibility, and open nature of WordPress.org. They contribute to the ecosystem through development, support, and by bringing users to the platform. Disputes over access, control of key components (like popular plugins), and the definition of acceptable behavior within the community can have wide-ranging implications for the many businesses and individuals who depend on WordPress.

The judge's decision to grant the injunction suggests that, at least at this preliminary stage, the court views Automattic's actions as potentially exceeding the bounds of acceptable conduct, even within the context of managing an open-source project and its community relationships. The ruling implies that leveraging control over core open-source resources to target a specific competitor may be viewed unfavorably by the courts.

Specific Actions Addressed by the Injunction

The injunction specifically targets several actions taken by Automattic and Matt Mullenweg that WP Engine argued were causing direct harm:

Blocking Access to WordPress.org

Restricting WP Engine's access to WordPress.org resources was a primary point of contention. This access is vital for WP Engine's operations, including obtaining updates, accessing documentation, participating in forums, and utilizing other tools necessary to provide managed hosting services for WordPress sites. The court's order requires this access to be restored.

Interference with the ACF Plugin

Automattic's move to take control of the ACF plugin after WP Engine's acquisition was a significant escalation. The ACF plugin is integral to many WordPress sites, allowing for flexible content structures. Interference with its development, distribution, or functionality could severely impact WP Engine's customers and the broader community that relies on the plugin. The injunction orders Automattic to cease this interference.

The WP Engine Customer Tracker Site

Automattic launched a website specifically designed to track and list sites that were reportedly moving away from WP Engine. WP Engine argued this was a targeted effort to harm its business and solicit its customers. The court ordered Automattic to take down this list.

The Login Verification Checkbox

Another action cited by WP Engine was the implementation of a checkbox during the WordPress.org login process that required users to verify they were not affiliated with WP Engine. This was seen as a direct and discriminatory measure aimed at discouraging WP Engine users and affiliates from accessing the site. The injunction requires the removal of this checkbox.

These specific directives in the preliminary injunction highlight the court's focus on actions perceived as directly targeting WP Engine and interfering with its legitimate use of open-source resources that are ostensibly available to the entire community.

What Happens Next?

While the preliminary injunction provides immediate relief, it is not a final judgment on the merits of the case. The lawsuit will proceed, with both parties engaging in discovery to gather evidence. Automattic has indicated it plans to file counterclaims against WP Engine.

The trial will delve deeper into the accusations of trademark misuse, the definition of contributing to the open-source community, the extent of Automattic's control over WordPress.org, and whether Automattic's actions constituted unfair competition or other legal violations. The outcome of the trial could set important precedents for how commercial entities interact with and leverage open-source projects.

The case is being closely watched by businesses throughout the WordPress ecosystem, as it touches upon fundamental questions about access, control, and governance within a platform that powers a significant portion of the web. The court's initial stance, favoring the restoration of access and cessation of interference, provides a temporary resolution but the long-term implications will depend on the final judgment.

The legal battle between WP Engine and Automattic is a complex saga involving commercial competition, open-source principles, and the governance of a widely used web platform. The preliminary injunction is a critical juncture, forcing a temporary halt to actions that a judge deemed potentially irreparably harmful. As the case moves towards trial, the tech industry and the open-source community will be observing closely to understand how these tensions are resolved in the legal arena.

For more background on this ongoing dispute, you can read previous coverage:

• WP Engine filed a lawsuit accusing Automattic and Matt Mullenweg of causing harm.
• WP Engine later asked the court to stop Mullenweg from restricting access.
• Mullenweg waged a public campaign against WP Engine in September.
• Automattic took control of WP Engine’s ACF Plugin.
• Automattic's argument that blamed WP Engine was detailed in this article.
• Automattic also launched a site to track outgoing WP Engine customers.
• The court document detailing the preliminary injunction can be found here.