eBay Pays $56 Million to Settle Harassment Case with Massachusetts Bloggers
Online retail giant eBay has settled a lawsuit for $56 million with David and Ina Steiner, a couple from Natick, Massachusetts, who operate an e-commerce newsletter. The settlement addresses a concerted harassment campaign orchestrated by former eBay executives, reportedly in retaliation for critical coverage published in the Steiners' newsletter, EcommerceBytes.
The campaign, which commenced in August 2019, involved sending unsettling deliveries to the couple's home, including live insects, a bloody pig mask, and a funeral wreath. Additionally, the Steiners were subjected to threatening messages and online harassment, designed to intimidate them into silence and undermine their publication.
Seven former eBay employees, including two senior security executives, have already pleaded guilty to charges related to the harassment. Among them, James Baugh, eBay's former senior director of safety and security, received a prison sentence of 57 months. Another former executive, David Harville, was sentenced to 24 months. Prosecutors highlighted the extraordinary nature and severity of the harassment, describing it as an "unprecedented" act by corporate employees against critics.
The substantial settlement reflects the severe impact of the harassment on the Steiners and the corporate responsibility eBay bears for the actions of its former senior staff. The company had previously issued a public apology to the couple, acknowledging the reprehensible conduct of its employees.
