New Jetpack app, Mailchimp breach, and AI lawsuits

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The lines between the open-source WordPress.org and its commercial counterpart WordPress.com (owned by Automattic) have long been blurred and confusing. So much that commercial offerings from Automattic’s suite of tools were integrated into the official WordPress mobile app.

That’s about to change. As Sarah Gooding of WP Tavern reports, features that rely on Automattic products are moving to the latest version of the free Jetpack app.

This means that users will need the Jetpack app to access site statistics, comment notifications, and the Reader content discovery feature.

 https://youtu.be/i8t1KRbsvzQ 

In a blog post announcing the change, WordPress.com says that site data can be automatically migrated from the WordPress app to Jetpack, provided you have the latest version of both installed on your device. Meanwhile, the WordPress app will become more focused on the core functionality of the content management system.

Links You Shouldn’t Miss

Mailchimp have disclosed a recent security breach - and an account belonging to Automattic appears to have been affected. WooCommerce has sent an email informing users of the situation, but says that “No payment data, passwords, or other sensitive security information is part of this breach.”

The WordPress Theme Directory is in the early stages of a refresh. A post on the Make WordPress blog shared mockup images, with the design looking similar to the recently upgraded News and Showcase sections. Stated goals include improved usability, along with implementing the recently-introduced theme taxonomies.

If you’ve ever wanted to contribute to WordPress core, here’s your chance. WordPress 6.2 is tentatively scheduled to become available on March 28, 2023. The project is currently looking for volunteers to lead various aspects of the release and become a part of the “squad”.

Artwork generated via artificial intelligence is generating lots of buzz - and a high-profile lawsuit. Getty Images is suing Stability AI, maker of the Stability Diffusion artwork generator, for copyright infringement. The outcome could alter the way these tools scrape content, not to mention a user’s ability to safely publish AI images.

From the Grab Bag

Now it’s time to take a look at some other interesting topics shared by our contributors.

• MasterWP’s Rob Howard and Allie Nimmons recapped the annual State of the Word event and looked at the biggest challenges facing WordPress.
• WordPress theme and plugin sales platform Freemius have posted a year in review that highlights interesting notes from 2022, as well as plans for 2023.
• WordPress developer Brian Coords wonders why creating an email newsletter within WordPress is still so hard.
• LearnDash product manager Jack Kitterhing opines that it's time to fix the WordPress user experience.
• Brin Wilson recently published a guide to placing ads on Blaze, the new advertising platform for WordPess.com and Tumblr.
• In an effort to support its authors and publications, online publishing platform Medium has created its own Mastodon instance.
• 2023 will see six new privacy laws take effect in North America. MainWP has a rundown of each law and tips for how to prepare for them.

Thanks to all of the members who shared these links today: 

• Dennis Dornon
• Justin Ferriman
• John Locke
• Courtney Robertson
• Brin Wilson