Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress.org and CEO of Automattic, concluded the WordCamp USA conference with a keynote that drew significant backlash. His remarks included pointed criticisms of a well-known managed WordPress hosting provider, leading to widespread negative reactions.
The fallout from Mullenweg’s speech was swift, with social media erupting in response. At one point, “WordPress” became the top trending topic on X (formerly Twitter).
Context of the Conference
WordPress thrives on a philosophy of community collaboration to develop an open-source content management system. This collaborative effort has led to the creation of countless jobs, empowered numerous e-commerce ventures, and fostered various markets and services, all rooted in the spirit of community.
WordCamp serves as a physical representation of this community, bringing together WordPress users of all skill levels to share ideas and inspiration. Typically a positive and uplifting event, the closing session on September 20 left attendees reeling.
Hints of controversy were evident from the start, as Mullenweg’s initial blog post on the conference’s opening day oscillated from optimistic to increasingly critical.
In his post, he celebrated the WordPress community, stating, “If you ever have a chance to visit a WordCamp, I recommend it. It’s an amazing group of people united by the groundbreaking idea that software can offer more freedom, regardless of our differences.”
However, he soon shifted focus to the perceived shortcomings of certain companies in supporting the open-source movement. Mullenweg called out Meta for what he deemed a “disingenuous” commitment to open source and praised those participating in the Five for the Future initiative, which encourages companies to contribute 5% of their resources back to the WordPress ecosystem.
His remarks culminated in a direct critique of WP Engine for its insufficient contributions to the community, making it clear that the funding provided by various companies was a central concern in his keynote.
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