WordPress parent company ordered to stop blocking WP Engine

WP Engine recently secured a preliminary injunction against Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com. This legal victory comes after a California District Court judge ruled in favor of WP Engine, ordering Automattic to cease blocking WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org resources and interfering with its plugins.

Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín recognized the validity of WP Engine’s claims that Automattic’s actions had a detrimental impact on business relationships, stating that Mullenweg’s actions were intended to cause breach or disruption. In response to Automattic’s argument shifting blame to WP Engine for relying on WordPress.org, Judge Martínez-Olguín found this argument unconvincing.

The ruling emphasized Automattic’s role in exacerbating the harm faced by WP Engine through targeted actions, noting that Automattic’s recent actions were directed specifically at WP Engine, rather than other competitors in the industry.

When contacted for comment, both Automattic and WP Engine were reached out to by The Verge, although no immediate response was received.

The ruling underscored WP Engine’s demonstration of irreparable harm without injunctive relief, impacting not only the company but also members of the WordPress community. As part of the preliminary injunction, Automattic is required to remove the list of companies displayed on a site tracking outgoing WP Engine customers, as well as eliminate the checkbox prompting WordPress users to confirm their lack of affiliation with WP Engine during login.

Credit: www.theverge.com