Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg Faces Backlash Over WordPress Account Deactivations

Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic and co-creator of WordPress, has deactivated the accounts of several key community members on WordPress.org, citing concerns over alleged plans to create a fork of the open-source platform. The move has reignited debates around the governance and management of one of the internet's most widely used platforms.

Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg Faces Backlash Over WordPress Account Deactivations
Automattic CEO and WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg

Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic and co-creator of WordPress, has deactivated the accounts of several key community members on WordPress.org, citing concerns over alleged plans to create a fork of the open-source platform. The move has reignited debates around the governance and management of one of the internet's most widely used platforms.

This controversy follows tensions that began in September, when Mullenweg accused WP Engine, a commercial hosting provider, of profiting from WordPress without sufficiently contributing back to its open-source project. The dispute escalated as WP Engine was barred from accessing key WordPress resources, prompting a lawsuit that led a court to order the restoration of access.

Amid this legal battle, notable figures from the WordPress community have stepped into the spotlight. Joost de Valk, creator of the Yoast SEO plugin and a former marketing lead at the WordPress Foundation, recently shared his vision for the platform’s future. In his blog post, he proposed a system of “federated and independent repositories” for themes and plugins. Similarly, Karim Marucchi, CEO of Crowd Favorite, expressed support for changes to the WordPress ecosystem, indicating alignment with these ideas.

Concerns Over Fork Plans and Account Deactivations

While Mullenweg has expressed openness to the idea of a new fork, he has labeled some of de Valk and Marucchi's ideas as such, despite both individuals clarifying they have no intention to create a fork. In his recent post, de Valk emphasized the need for repositories to "federate with each other" to overcome the issue of centralized control over updates, advocating for independent systems that host themes and plugins. However, he reiterated that this did not equate to plans for a fork.

In a surprising move, Mullenweg deactivated their accounts, stating this would give their efforts “the push it needs to get off the ground.” Additionally, he suspended accounts of other prominent contributors, including Sé Reed, Heather Burns, and Morten Rand-Hendriksen, without offering detailed explanations. Rand-Hendriksen, a vocal critic of WordPress governance in the past, alleged that the decision was tied to previous objections to management practices raised as early as 2017.

Open Source Flexibility and Future Possibilities

Mullenweg has framed his actions as an opportunity for the community to experiment with alternative leadership models, noting that the beauty of open source lies in its flexibility. “If they create something that’s awesome, we may even merge it back into WordPress,” he stated, emphasizing the collaborative potential of open-source innovation.

He also suggested, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, that any potential fork could be called “JKPress,” reflecting the open-source ethos that anyone is free to adapt and build upon existing code.

Despite account deactivations, the affected contributors still have access to WordPress’s open-source code via platforms like GitHub, ensuring their ability to pursue independent initiatives. The situation highlights the tension between centralized governance and the decentralized spirit that defines open-source projects.

A Turning Point for WordPress Leadership?

The events have raised critical questions about the future of WordPress governance and its community. While de Valk and Marucchi have clarified that their ideas aim to enhance the project’s ecosystem rather than fragment it, the decisions by Automattic have underscored lingering frustrations within the community over leadership and decision-making processes.

As the WordPress project navigates these challenges, the outcome of these debates could shape its trajectory for years to come, redefining not only how it operates but also how open-source communities balance innovation with governance.