eBay harassment campaign results in $56M settlement
Original: 'Crush this lady': how eBay harassment campaign led to $56M payout
Why This Matters
The case sets a notable precedent for corporate liability when executives orchestrate targeted harassment campaigns against private individuals.
eBay agreed to pay $56 million to settle claims stemming from a coordinated harassment campaign by company executives targeting online critics, including sending threatening messages and disturbing packages to victims' homes.
eBay has agreed to pay $56 million to resolve legal claims arising from a disturbing corporate harassment campaign orchestrated by senior company executives against online critics. The campaign, which became known for an internal directive to 'crush this lady,' targeted a newsletter couple — Ina and David Steiner of EcommerceBytes — who published coverage critical of eBay. Former eBay executives and employees arranged for threatening messages, live insects, a bloody pig mask, and other disturbing items to be sent to the victims' homes. Several former eBay employees, including its former security chief, were criminally charged and convicted or pleaded guilty. eBay itself previously paid a $3 million criminal penalty in 2022. The $56 million civil settlement represents a significant additional financial consequence for the company over the conduct of its former leadership team.