‘A horrible nightmare’: the shocking story of the eBay harassment scandal
Summary
Ina and David Steiner, a husband-and-wife reporting team, experienced a harassment campaign linked to eBay after covering the company for many years. After six years of legal battles, they settled for $55.7 million with eBay over threats and disturbing deliveries sent to their home in 2019.Key Facts
- Ina and David Steiner started reporting in Silicon Valley around 2000, focusing on tech and ecommerce.
- They created EcommerceBytes, an online magazine with over 600,000 readers, supporting small business owners using platforms like eBay.
- In 2019, they were subjected to a harassment campaign including live spiders, a bloody mask, and disturbing mail sent to their home and neighbors.
- The Steiners installed home security and took safety precautions during the threats.
- Police investigation linked the harassment to eBay employees using company resources.
- The harassment appeared connected to Steiner’s reporting on eBay’s CEO and company issues.
- In 2024, eBay and former executives agreed to a $55.7 million settlement with the Steiners after criminal and civil cases.
- The case highlights risks journalists can face when reporting critically on powerful companies.
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