eBay Pays $56M to Settle Cyberstalking Lawsuit Filed by Massachusetts Couple

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eBay has agreed to pay $55.7 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by David and Ina Steiner, a Massachusetts couple who publish the newsletter EcommerceBytes. In 2019, eBay executives and security staff orchestrated a harassment campaign against the pair after the newsletter ran articles critical of the company. The campaign involved sending disturbing packages — including live insects and a bloody pig mask — to the couple's home, along with physical surveillance and doxxing. Several former eBay employees, including a senior security director, were previously convicted on criminal charges related to the incident. The civil settlement highlights broader failures in corporate governance, as the operation was conducted using company resources without being flagged or stopped by internal oversight systems.

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