Imagine you’ve been vibing with WordPress for a decade, thinking it was your friendly, neighborhood open-source software. Suddenly, you’re hit with the news that the big fish (a.k.a. Automattic) is throwing its weight around, shutting off access to tools that were supposed to be free for everyone. Yes, folks, this is apparently ‘business as usual’ in the tech world.

A recent lawsuit filed by a customer, Keller, argues that Automattic has reneged on its promise that WordPress will always stay free and open. Keller, who utilized WordPress Engine (WPE), has been riding the Web 2.0 wave thinking he had iron-clad access to this ecosystem. Newsflash: that illusion just shattered. The drama began when Automattic accused WPE of exploiting the WordPress trademark. WPE grew into a behemoth serving clients like Yelp and Dropbox, making their coins off customers that could have enriched Automattic’s pockets, and let’s be real, that must have ticked them off.

In an epic power play, Matt Mullenweg, founder of Automattic, decided to cut off WPE from updates and patches. Not cool. What followed was a game of digital cat-and-mouse, with clients scrambling to find alternatives after Mullenweg’s temper tantrum. The lawsuit doesn’t mince words, labeling Automattic’s move as “an appalling deception”. Sounds like the laid-back vibe of WordPress is rapidly turning into a cutthroat digital battleground.

But there’s more! Keller claims Automattic went full villain mode, sending sneaky emails to WPE customers tempting them to jump ship, while also requiring users to confirm they were not affiliated with WPE before accessing basic resources. Not to mention the shocking allegation that Automattic lifted one of WPE’s most popular plugins, renamed it, and gleefully took the credit. Who knew the tech turf wars would go beyond petty slapfights?

As if monopolizing a huge chunk of the internet isn’t enough, this whole debacle has potentially dangerous implications for the wider web community. With the lawsuit now out in the open, we must wonder: is this a signal of a larger trend where giant corporations flex their muscles to stifle innovation? Every Millennial and Gen Z-er should be keeping a sharp eye on this. After all, the tools we use shouldn’t become the toys of the elite.