eBay has been fined $3 million for being mean to bloggers who said bad things about them. The company’s executives sent bugs and gross things to Ina and David Steiner, who wrote a newsletter that the employees didn’t like. The Steiners felt really sad, scared, and hurt because of the mean things that happened to them.

One guy named Jim Baugh, who used to work for eBay, led a campaign to scare the Steiners. He sent bugs, a dead baby pig, and a funeral wreath to their house. He also put a tracking device on their car and made fake ads on Craigslist to make people go to their house for sex. The eBay employees who did these things got fired, and Baugh and six other people went to jail.

Baugh’s lawyers said that the former CEO of eBay, Devin Wenig, told him to target the Steiners because they said bad things about the company. But Wenig hasn’t been charged and says he didn’t know about the mean things that happened. The US Attorney’s Office said that eBay’s behavior was really bad and was meant to stop the Steiners from talking and protect the company’s reputation.

This case shows how important it is to let people say what they want and not use mean tactics to shut them up. It also reminds us that people in power should be responsible for their actions. eBay agreeing to pay the fine shows that they know they did something wrong and want to make it right.

Original news source: eBay pays $3m fine in blogger harassment case (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and write a summary of the main points. They should focus on key information and use their own words. After completing their summaries, students will share with the class and discuss any differences or similarities in their responses.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss their opinions on the actions taken by eBay and its employees. They should consider the ethics of their behavior and whether or not the punishment was appropriate. Each group will then present their opinions to the class and engage in a class-wide discussion.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: In pairs, students will select 5-10 vocabulary words from the article and create a quick sketch to represent each word. They will take turns showing their sketches to their partner, who will try to guess the corresponding word. This activity will help reinforce vocabulary and comprehension of the article.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: In small groups, students will create a list of pros and cons related to eBay’s actions and the subsequent punishment. They should consider both the impact on the Steiners and the reputation of the company. Each group will then present their lists to the class and engage in a debate-style discussion.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, students will discuss and make predictions about the potential long-term effects of this case on eBay’s reputation and the actions of other companies. They should consider the importance of transparency and accountability in today’s society. After discussing, each pair will share their predictions with the class and explain their reasoning.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why was eBay fined $3 million?
2. How did the eBay executives treat the bloggers who said bad things about them?
3. How did Jim Baugh try to scare the Steiners?
4. What happened to the eBay employees who did mean things to the Steiners?
5. What did Jim Baugh’s lawyers say about the former CEO of eBay?
6. What did the US Attorney’s Office say about eBay’s behavior?
7. What is the lesson we can learn from this case?
8. Why did eBay agree to pay the fine?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

eBay has been fined $3 million for being mean to bloggers who said bad things about them. The company’s (1)______ sent bugs and gross things to Ina and David Steiner, who wrote a newsletter that the (2)______ didn’t like. The (3)______ felt really sad, scared, and hurt because of the mean things that happened to them.

One guy (4)______ Jim Baugh, who used to work for eBay, led a campaign to scare the Steiners. He sent bugs, a dead baby pig, and a (5)______ wreath to their (6)______. He also put a (7)______ device on their car and made fake ads on (8)______ to make people go to their house for sex. The eBay employees who did these things got fired, and Baugh and six other people went to jail.

Baugh’s lawyers said that the former CEO of eBay, (9)______ Wenig, told him to (10)______ the Steiners because they said bad things about the (11)______. But Wenig hasn’t been charged and says he didn’t know about the mean things that happened. The US Attorney’s Office said that eBay’s behavior was really bad and was (12)______ to stop the Steiners from talking and protect the company’s reputation.

This case (13)______ how (14)______ it is to let people say what they want and not use mean tactics to shut them up. It also reminds us that people in power should be responsible for their actions. eBay (15)______ to pay the fine shows that they know they did something (16)______ and want to make it right.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What do you think about the way eBay treated the bloggers?
2. How would you feel if someone sent bugs and gross things to your house?
3. Do you think it was fair for the eBay employees to get fired for their actions?
4. Why do you think Jim Baugh targeted the Steiners?
5. How do you think the Steiners felt when they received all those mean things?
6. What do you think about the former CEO of eBay not being charged?
7. Do you believe that people in power should be held responsible for their actions? Why or why not?
8. How important do you think it is to let people express their opinions freely?
9. What do you think about eBay agreeing to pay the fine?
10. How would you react if someone tried to stop you from expressing your thoughts?
11. Do you think the punishment for the eBay employees and Jim Baugh was fair? Why or why not?
12. Have you ever experienced someone trying to silence you or intimidate you? How did it make you feel?
13. How do you think this case will affect eBay’s reputation?
14. Do you think it’s possible for a company to recover from a scandal like this? Why or why not?
15. What measures do you think should be put in place to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. fined
2. executives
3. newsletter
4. campaign
5. tracking
6. Craigslist
7. attorneys
8. target
9. charged
10. tactics
11. reputation
12. responsible
13. former
14. behavior
15. tactics

Meanings:
(A) A regular publication with news and information
(B) Having the duty to deal with something or having control over someone
(C) What people think about someone or something
(D) Formally accused of a crime
(E) Following someone’s movements secretly
(F) A website where people post ads to sell things or meet others
(G) Made to pay money as a punishment
(H) People who are in charge of a company
(I) Clever and possibly dishonest plans or strategies
(J) Someone who used to hold a position or job
(K) A series of actions with a specific goal
(L) To aim efforts or actions at someone or something
(M) Lawyers
(N) Methods or strategies used to achieve something
(O) The way someone acts or conducts themselves
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why was eBay fined $3 million?
(a) For selling illegal items on their website
(b) For not paying their employees fair wages
(c) For mistreating bloggers who wrote negatively about them
(d) For stealing customer’s personal information

2. Who received the bugs and gross things from eBay executives?
(a) Ina and David Steiner
(b) Jim Baugh
(c) Devin Wenig
(d) The US Attorney’s Office

3. What did Jim Baugh do to scare the Steiners?
(a) Sent threatening messages to their email
(b) Hacked into their social media accounts
(c) Sent bugs, a dead baby pig, and a funeral wreath to their house
(d) Stole their car

4. How did Jim Baugh get caught?
(a) He was seen putting a tracking device on the Steiners’ car
(b) He confessed to his actions
(c) The Steiners reported him to the police
(d) He was caught on surveillance cameras

5. Who allegedly told Jim Baugh to target the Steiners?
(a) Ina and David Steiner
(b) The US Attorney’s Office
(c) eBay employees
(d) Devin Wenig

6. What did the US Attorney’s Office say about eBay’s behavior?
(a) It was justified and necessary to protect the company’s reputation
(b) It was really bad and meant to stop the Steiners from talking
(c) It was a misunderstanding and eBay should not be fined
(d) It was irrelevant to the case and should be ignored

7. What does this case emphasize?
(a) The need for stricter regulations on online marketplaces
(b) The power of bloggers in influencing public opinion
(c) The benefits of using mean tactics to shut people up
(d) The importance of allowing people to express their opinions freely

8. Why did eBay agree to pay the fine?
(a) To avoid further legal consequences
(b) To acknowledge that they did something wrong and make amends
(c) To set an example for other companies
(d) To show their support for the Steiners

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The Steiners felt sad, scared, and hurt because of the mean things that happened to them.
2. Baugh also put a tracking device on their car and created fake ads on Craigslist to attract unwanted visitors to their house.
3. eBay has not faced any fines related to their treatment of bloggers who wrote negative things about them.
4. A former eBay employee named Jim Baugh did not lead a campaign to scare the Steiners by sending bugs, a dead baby pig, and a funeral wreath to their house.
5. The eBay employees involved in these actions were fired, and Baugh, along with six others, went to jail.
6. Ina and David Steiner, who wrote a newsletter, were targeted by eBay executives because they didn’t like what the Steiners wrote.
7. eBay’s behavior was not intended to silence the Steiners or protect the company’s reputation, but rather to uphold their values and maintain a fair marketplace.
8. Baugh’s lawyers do not claim that the former CEO of eBay, Devin Wenig, instructed him to target the Steiners because of their negative comments about the company.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Why was eBay fined $3 million?
2. What did the eBay executives do to the Steiners?
3. How did Jim Baugh try to scare the Steiners?
4. Why did Baugh’s lawyers say he targeted the Steiners?
5. What does this case teach us about people in power?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why was eBay fined $3 million?
eBay was fined $3 million because they mistreated bloggers who wrote negative things about them.

2. How did the eBay executives treat the bloggers who said bad things about them?
The eBay executives sent bugs and gross things to the bloggers, making them feel sad, scared, and hurt.

3. How did Jim Baugh try to scare the Steiners?
Jim Baugh, a former eBay employee, sent bugs, a dead baby pig, and a funeral wreath to the Steiners’ house. He also put a tracking device on their car and made fake ads on Craigslist to bring people to their house for sex.

4. What happened to the eBay employees who did mean things to the Steiners?
The eBay employees who did mean things to the Steiners got fired from their jobs. Jim Baugh and six other people also went to jail.

5. What did Jim Baugh’s lawyers say about the former CEO of eBay?
Jim Baugh’s lawyers said that the former CEO of eBay, Devin Wenig, told him to target the Steiners because they said bad things about the company. However, Wenig hasn’t been charged and claims he didn’t know about the mean things that happened.

6. What did the US Attorney’s Office say about eBay’s behavior?
The US Attorney’s Office said that eBay’s behavior was really bad and was intended to silence the Steiners and protect the company’s reputation.

7. What is the lesson we can learn from this case?
The case teaches us the importance of allowing people to express their opinions freely without using mean tactics to silence them. It also reminds us that people in positions of power should be held responsible for their actions.

8. Why did eBay agree to pay the fine?
eBay agreed to pay the fine because they acknowledged that they did something wrong and wanted to make amends for their behavior.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) executives
(2) employees
(3) Steiners
(4) named
(5) funeral
(6) house
(7) tracking
(8) Craigslist
(9) Devin
(10) target
(11) company
(12) meant
(13) shows
(14) important
(15) agreeing
(16) wrong
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. fined
Answer: (G) Made to pay money as a punishment

2. executives
Answer: (H) People who are in charge of a company

3. newsletter
Answer: (A) A regular publication with news and information

4. campaign
Answer: (K) A series of actions with a specific goal

5. tracking
Answer: (E) Following someone’s movements secretly

6. Craigslist
Answer: (F) A website where people post ads to sell things or meet others

7. attorneys
Answer: (M) Lawyers

8. target
Answer: (L) To aim efforts or actions at someone or something

9. charged
Answer: (D) Formally accused of a crime

10. tactics
Answer: (N) Methods or strategies used to achieve something

11. reputation
Answer: (C) What people think about someone or something

12. responsible
Answer: (B) Having the duty to deal with something or having control over someone

13. former
Answer: (J) Someone who used to hold a position or job

14. behavior
Answer: (O) The way someone acts or conducts themselves

15. tactics
Answer: (I) Clever and possibly dishonest plans or strategies
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why was eBay fined $3 million?
Answer: (c) For mistreating bloggers who wrote negatively about them

2. Who received the bugs and gross things from eBay executives?
Answer: (a) Ina and David Steiner

3. What did Jim Baugh do to scare the Steiners?
Answer: (c) Sent bugs, a dead baby pig, and a funeral wreath to their house

4. How did Jim Baugh get caught?
Answer: (a) He was seen putting a tracking device on the Steiners’ car

5. Who allegedly told Jim Baugh to target the Steiners?
Answer: (d) Devin Wenig

6. What did the US Attorney’s Office say about eBay’s behavior?
Answer: (b) It was really bad and meant to stop the Steiners from talking

7. What does this case emphasize?
Answer: (d) The importance of allowing people to express their opinions freely

8. Why did eBay agree to pay the fine?
Answer: (b) To acknowledge that they did something wrong and make amends
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The Steiners felt sad, scared, and hurt because of the mean things that happened to them. (Answer: True)
2. Baugh also put a tracking device on their car and created fake ads on Craigslist to attract unwanted visitors to their house. (Answer: True)
3. eBay has not faced any fines related to their treatment of bloggers who wrote negative things about them. (Answer: False)
4. A former eBay employee named Jim Baugh did not lead a campaign to scare the Steiners by sending bugs, a dead baby pig, and a funeral wreath to their house. (Answer: False)
5. The eBay employees involved in these actions were fired, and Baugh, along with six others, went to jail. (Answer: True)
6. Ina and David Steiner, who wrote a newsletter, were targeted by eBay executives because they didn’t like what the Steiners wrote. (Answer: True)
7. eBay’s behavior was not intended to silence the Steiners or protect the company’s reputation, but rather to uphold their values and maintain a fair marketplace. (Answer: False)
8. Baugh’s lawyers do not claim that the former CEO of eBay, Devin Wenig, instructed him to target the Steiners because of their negative comments about the company. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧