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markdown/The Missteps of WordPress and Automattic: A Looming Threat to the Community.md

@@ -114,6 +114,34 @@ Overall, the community sentiment following the interview with Matt Mullenweg ref
 
 As one user, @sluffmo, summed it up: “All he’s achieved is showing the WP community that one immature, greedy dude throwing a tantrum can screw up their site without warning. Who cares about WP Engine? Time to pick another CMS.” This comment encapsulates the risk Automattic faces if they continue down this path—alienating the very developers and users who have built their success.
 
+## UPDATE: 10.12
+### ACF Plugin Taken Over by WordPress.org
+
+In a surprising and contentious move, WordPress.org has forcibly taken over control of the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin, a popular tool used by developers to customize their WordPress sites, without the consent of the ACF team. This action has left many in the WordPress community shocked and concerned about the future of the plugin, which has been trusted for over a decade.
+
+### Key Points:
+
+- **No Action Needed for WP Engine, Flywheel, or ACF PRO Customers**: If you are using WP Engine, Flywheel, or have ACF PRO, you will continue receiving updates directly from the ACF team. There’s no need to worry about losing access to future updates.
+  
+- **For Other Hosts**: If your site is hosted elsewhere, you must take action to ensure the security of your site. ACF advises users to perform a one-time download of version 6.3.8 from their website to maintain control over plugin updates. The ACF team no longer manages updates via WordPress.org, leaving many developers to manually update to stay protected.
+  
+- **ACF's Continued Commitment**: Despite the forced takeover, the ACF team reassures users that they will continue to support and enhance the plugin, maintaining its high standards of functionality and security.
+
+### Community Response
+
+This move by WordPress.org raises further questions about their aggressive control over key plugins in the ecosystem. With WP Engine and other major platforms already feeling the strain from WordPress’s trademark and legal pressures, the seizure of ACF only deepens concerns about the future of third-party development within the WordPress ecosystem.
+
+The ACF team, trusted for over a decade, remains dedicated to serving their users outside of WordPress.org’s ecosystem, but this event adds fuel to the growing fire of distrust towards Automattic and their heavy-handed approach.
+
+### What Does This Mean for Developers?
+
+This takeover has developers wondering which plugin or service might be next. Many see this as another move by Automattic to centralize control over WordPress development, alienating independent plugin developers and reducing diversity in the ecosystem. The community is now asking: if even well-established plugins like ACF are not safe from WordPress.org’s actions, is any plugin truly secure?
+
+As WordPress continues to push forward with such actions, developers, hosts, and users alike are reassessing their commitment to the platform.
+
+⚠️ **Ensure your site's security by downloading the genuine ACF 6.3.8 version directly from the ACF team.**
+
+
 ## Sources
 
 - [WordPress.org: WP Engine is not WordPress](https://wordpress.org/news/2024/09/wp-engine/)
@@ -123,3 +151,4 @@ As one user, @sluffmo, summed it up: “All he’s achieved is showing the WP co
 - [Reddit Discussion: WordPress Trademark Policy](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wordpress/comments/1foknoq/the_wordpress_foundation_trademark_policy_was/?share_id=pDvacXlhttDifEUjnc5tq)
 - [Reddit Discussion: WP Engine Plugin Repository Inaccessibility](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wordpress/comments/1fpeqn2/plugin_repository_inaccessible_to_wp_engine/)
 - [WordPress.org: WP Engine Banned](https://wordpress.org/news/2024/09/wp-engine-banned/)
+- [WordPress.org: ACF](https://www.advancedcustomfields.com/)