eBay and three former executives agreed to pay nearly $56 million in a settlement over a macabre campaign of cyberstalking and harassment that targeted two journalists in 2019.
As we’ve previously written, the case involved deliveries of live cockroaches, a funeral wreath, a book about surviving the loss of a spouse, and a bloody pig mask to the home of a couple who run a news website. There were also harassing messages sent via email and Twitter, and an attempt to install a GPS tracking device on the victims’ car. Criminal charges resulted in guilty pleas and prison terms for former eBay employees.
What the hell happened to eBay? As an internet startup they were pretty committed to doing the right thing even if it cost more. I get that was the silicon valley of the 90s, and probably before corporate pressure to maximize profits and share prices.
I think it’s just been easy to ignore how evil they are.
They’ve been tightly linked with Peter Thiel since they took over PayPal which has constantly stolen people’s money. It’s just harder for an auction house like eBay to be obviously evil.