WPEngine Webmasters in Class Action Suit Proposal Against Mullenweg and Automattic

The dispute between WP Engine (WPE) and Automattic, the company behind WordPress, has taken a dramatic turn with a class-action lawsuit alleging deliberate sabotage of WPE’s services. The legal battle raises critical questions about control over WordPress, the risks for website owners, and the future of open-source platforms.

Automattic’s “Nuclear War” Against WPE

According to the lawsuit, Automattic and its founder, Matt Mullenweg, launched what they themselves described as a “nuclear war” against WPE. The conflict allegedly began as a dispute over WPE’s use of the WordPress trademark, but the lawsuit argues that Automattic weaponized its control over WordPress.org to cripple WPE.

Unbelievably,  Automattic blocked WPE’s access to the WordPress.org repository—the backbone of WordPress software updates, security patches, and plugin installations. For WPE customers, this meant immediate service disruptions, outdated security protections, and potential vulnerabilities. Many WPE-hosted websites became difficult to maintain, forcing site owners to seek expensive and time-consuming workarounds.

Direct Interference With WPE Customers

The lawsuit goes beyond technical interference, claiming that Automattic took direct steps to undermine WPE’s customer base, including:

• Publicly listing WPE’s customers to pressure them into leaving the platform.
• Sending emails to WPE users suggesting they could regain full WordPress access if they switched hosting providers.
• Requiring a checkbox on WordPress.org forcing users to confirm they were unaffiliated with WPE before accessing resources.
• Seizing control of WPE’s most popular plugin (ACF – Advanced Custom Fields), stripping WPE’s name from it, and rebranding it under WordPress.org.

For WPE webmasters, these actions created chaos, with many left scrambling to restore functionality and ensure website security.

Alleged Extortion and Financial Pressure

One of the most alarming claims in the lawsuit is that Automattic’s real goal wasn’t trademark protection but financial extortion. The lawsuit states that Mullenweg demanded WPE pay “tens of millions of dollars” for the right to continue using the WordPress name—not based on a fair valuation, but on what he believed WPE could afford.

When WPE refused, the lawsuit claims that Automattic retaliated by cutting off access to WordPress.org, knowing it would cripple WPE’s ability to serve its customers. This move allegedly forced businesses to choose between staying with WPE under degraded conditions or migrating to another platform at great expense.

Legal Grounds: Interference, Unfair Competition, and Deception

The lawsuit alleges that Automattic and Mullenweg engaged in:

1. Intentional Interference with Contractual Relations – By blocking WordPress services, Automattic allegedly disrupted the agreements between WPE and its customers, making it impossible for WPE to deliver the services it had promised.
2. Unfair Business Practices – The lawsuit argues that Automattic used its control over WordPress.org to manipulate the market and push WPE customers toward its own hosting services, such as WordPress.com and Pressable.
3. Betrayal of Open-Source Principles – WordPress has long promised to be free and available to everyone forever. The lawsuit claims that Automattic’s actions show that this promise was deceptive, with Mullenweg allegedly using WordPress.org as a private business tool rather than a true open-source resource.

What This Means for WPE Customers

For anyone hosting a WordPress site on WPE, this case highlights some serious risks:

• Security & Stability – The lawsuit claims that Automattic’s actions directly impacted WPE customers by preventing timely security updates and software patches. This could leave sites vulnerable to cyber threats.
• Time & Cost Burdens – Many businesses were forced to spend money and resources finding workarounds or migrating their sites due to Automattic’s interference.
• Long-Term Uncertainty – While a preliminary injunction has forced Automattic to temporarily lift some restrictions, the legal fight could drag on for years. If Automattic wins, it may regain the ability to block access for hosting providers it deems competitors.

The Bigger Picture: Control Over WordPress

The lawsuit warns that this battle isn’t just about WPE—it’s about the future of WordPress itself. If Automattic has the power to cut off access to WordPress.org at will, the entire open-source model is at risk.

For years, Mullenweg has insisted that WordPress belongs to the community, but this lawsuit suggests otherwise. The legal filing even states that Mullenweg privately claims to control WordPress.org as his own personal website. If true, this means one individual could dictate who gets access to the world’s most popular website platform.

What’s Next?

With a U.S. district judge already issuing an injunction against Automattic’s actions, the case is gaining momentum. If Keller, the WPE customer leading the lawsuit, succeeds, Automattic could face heavy financial penalties and be permanently barred from taking similar actions in the future. However, if Automattic prevails, the lawsuit warns that the “entire internet as a whole” could be at risk, as one company would have the unchecked power to deny access to open-source software.

Our Take:

There really doesn’t seem to be any wiggle room here for Automattic and Mullenweg. Their actions against WPEgine are without merit and are indefensible. The only thing that should come out of this lawsuit is that the WordPress trademark should be forfeited and released into the public domain.