Following Layoffs, Automattic Employees Discover Leak-Catching Watermarks

Following Layoffs, Automattic Employees Discover Leak-Catching Watermarks

As part of the company's months-long obsession with catching employees leaking internal developments to the press, staff at Wordpress parent company Automattic recently noticed individually-unique watermarks on internal sites, according to employees who spoke to 404 Media. Automattic added the watermarks to an internal employee communications platform called P2. P2 is a WordPress product other workplaces can also use. There are hundreds of P2 si…

Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automation, threatens any employee addressing the press. He added watermarks to Automattic's internal communication tool to track those who disclose screenshotsMatt Mullenweg, creator of WordPress and CEO of Automation, triggered a major conflict with WP Engine in September 2024. The effects on WordPress and its community are extremely negative. At the height of the conflict, Matt Mullenweg forced his employees to choose a…