Lights, Camera, ‘Code for the People’

Over the past two decades, open source software has powered much of the internet's infrastructure. Technologies like WordPress-which powers more than 40% of the web-demonstrate the impact of a model built on global collaboration and shared knowledge.

Now, though, the open web is facing an inflection point. As a handful of digital landlords and closed AI systems threaten to replace a free and open internet with algorithmic walled gardens, those of us fighting for an open-source future need to stick together.

To tell this story, Automattic partnered with acclaimed director Bao Nguyen on a new documentary short, Code for the People. The film explores this critical breaking point and serves as a rallying cry to reclaim the open-source spirit before the future of the internet is decided for good.

At a time when AI and digital platforms are redefining the rules of the internet, Code for the People invites audiences to engage in a conversation that extends beyond software. The documentary argues that the future of the web will depend on the choices the technology community makes today, positioning open source as a strategic foundation for building a more resilient, transparent, and decentralized digital infrastructure.

Earlier this month, Code for The People partnered with Variety and KQED to hold premiere screening events in New York City and San Francisco. The panels and discussions that followed made one thing obvious: These aren't niche concerns. They're questions that matter to anyone who builds, creates, or publishes online. Check out the full documentary above, and experience the premiere screenings through the gallery below.