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In a case involving WordPress developer Automattic blocking access to WordPress.org against web hosting service WP Engine , the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a judgment granting WP Engine’s motion for an injunction against the blocking on December 10, 2024. The court determined that WP Engine is likely to prevail on the merits and may suffer irreparable harm in the absence of injunctive relief.
Order on Motion for Preliminary Injunction – #64 in WPEngine, Inc. v. Automattic Inc. (ND Cal., 3:24-cv-06917) – CourtListener.com
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69221176/64/wpengine-inc-v-automattic-inc/
WordPress must stop blocking WP Engine, judge rules – The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/10/24318350/automattic-restore-wp-engine-access-wordpress
In September 2024, Automattic CEO Mullenweg criticized WP Engine as ‘ a cancer for WordPress ‘ at a WordPress developer event. Automattic and CEO Mullenweg argued that ‘WP Engine uses WordPress but has no contributions to WordPress.org,’ and demanded that WordPress.org pay 8% of its revenue or provide development human resources.
WP Engine demanded a correction and apology from CEO Mullenweg, but Automattic took steps to block WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org, the WordPress development project.
Additionally, in October 2024, CEO Mullenweg forked WP Engine’s plugin Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) without permission .
We have been made aware that the Advanced Custom Fields plugin on the WordPress directory has been taken over by WordPress dot org.
A plugin under active development has never been unilaterally and forcibly taken away from its creator without consent in the 21 year history of… pic.twitter.com/eV0qakURLc
— Advanced Custom Fields (@wp_acf) October 12, 2024
In response to these actions by Automattic, WP Engine filed a petition for a preliminary injunction to block Automattic’s access to WordPress.org.
WP Engine files court petition seeking restoration of access to WordPress.org – GIGAZINE
Judge Araceli Martinez-Holguin of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that ‘the evidence shows that Automattic and CEO Mullenweg acted with a clear intent to disrupt WPEngine’s customer relationships. ‘ He also found that WP Engine suffered concrete damages in the form of ‘a 14% increase in termination requests to WP Engine between September 26 and 30, 2024, and a further 17% increase between October 1 and 14 of the same year.’
Judge Martinez-Holguin determined that “the damages suffered by WP Engine and its customers outweigh the prejudice Automattic may suffer,” and issued the following specific order:
1: WP Engine to Stop Blocking Access to WordPress.org
2: No interference with WP Engine’s plugin and extension management
3. No Interference with WP Engine Customers’ WordPress Installations
4: WP Engine customer list removal and WordPress.org access reinstated within 72 hours
5: Returning control of the ACF plugin
By Luis Osorio
The preliminary injunction will be in effect until the final judgment in the case, maintaining the status quo prior to September 20, 2024. Judge Martinez-Holguin pointed out the injustice of suddenly restricting the services that WordPress.org has provided free of charge for many years, stating that ‘selectively restricting access to publicly available resources from competitors can constitute unfair competition.’
Tech news site The Verge reached out to Automattic and WP Engine for comment but did not receive a response.
