Automattic has been working on stricter trademark enforcement for WordPress and WooCommerce since at least the beginning of 2024. This approach wasn’t shy of using cease-and-desist and other legal means, resulting in a public dispute between Automattic’s CEO Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine over the WordPress trademark.
According to an internal document obtained by TechCrunch, Automattic’s then Chief Legal Officer, Paul Sieminski, outlined the company’s plan to adopt a more aggressive stance on trademark enforcement.
The post, dated January 2024, emphasised legal tactics, including cease-and-desist letters and a formal licensing program, as part of a multi-pronged strategy to protect the WordPress and WooCommerce brands.
Sieminski’s message highlights Automattic’s growing concerns about companies leveraging the WordPress brand without authorisation. This includes using phrases like ‘Managed WordPress’ and ‘Hosted WordPress’ by various businesses, which Automattic believes infringes on its trademark rights.
In response, Automatic has taken steps to enforce its ownership, filing trademark applications for these terms in July 2024. However, the status of these applications remains pending.
The internal document also highlighted the tension between maintaining the WordPress project’s openness and the need for commercial protection, prompting Automattic to take stricter controls.
Mullenweg, who co-founded WordPress and currently serves as Automattic’s CEO, transferred the WordPress trademark to the WordPress Foundation, a nonprofit organisation, in 2010. The move was intended to ensure that the open-source project could continue independently of Automattic’s commercial operations.
However, the WordPress community has questions about recent trademark filings. Mullenweg claims that he is unaware of who filed the trademark applications for ‘Managed WordPress’ and ‘Hosted WordPress.’
After publicly calling WP Engine a “cancer to WordPress,” Automattic blocked WP Engine’s access to WordPress servers.
Later, WP Engine sued Automattic and Matt Mullenweg, alleging extortion and abuse of power. Due to a disagreement with CEO Mullenweg, 159 employees left the company which is approximately 8.4% of the workforce.
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