eBay has agreed to a $55.7 million settlement to resolve a civil lawsuit brought by the founders of EcommerceBytes, a news site focused on the e-commerce industry, who were targeted in an aggressive and disturbing harassment campaign orchestrated by former company executives.
The case stemmed from a horrifying campaign in 2020 where six former eBay employees and a contractor faced charges for doxing, threats, and sending live pests to David and Ina Steiner, the couple behind EcommerceBytes. The Steiners had frequently published critical coverage of eBay, which apparently drew the ire of some within the company.
The settlement includes over $46.15 million for the Steiners, with additional payouts from former executives: $2 million from ex-CEO Devin Wenig, $500,000 from former executive Wendy Jones, and $50,000 from former executive Steve Wymer. eBay is also donating $6 million to charity, and Wenig is contributing an additional $1 million to a nonprofit supporting First Amendment rights.
Notably, the settlement allows the Steiners to speak freely about the case, a crucial point for them as journalists. "From day one, that was a dealbreaker," stated Chris Murphy, the Steiners' attorney. "As journalists, and as victims, the Steiners were very clear that they wanted everyone to see and understand what eBay did to them."
The harassment campaign, which ran for two months in the summer of 2019, escalated from anonymous threats on Twitter to disturbing deliveries at the Steiners' home. These included items like a bloody pig mask, pornography, and packages filled with live insects and spiders, alongside themed items related to death. The campaign also involved physical surveillance and deceptive Craigslist ads posted to the couple's address.
eBay's legal team has issued a statement offering "deepest apologies" to the Steiners, condemning the misconduct of the former employees, and acknowledging unprofessional internal communications from some executives. The company stressed that current leadership is in place and that these past events do not reflect eBay's present culture.
