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)

– 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.

eBay has been fined $3 million for being mean to bloggers who said bad things about them. The company's ? sent bugs and gross things to Ina and David Steiner, who wrote a newsletter that the ? didn't like. The ? felt really sad, scared, and hurt because of the mean things that happened to them. One guy ? Jim Baugh, who used to work for eBay, led a campaign to scare the Steiners. He sent bugs, a dead baby pig, and a ? wreath to their ?. He also put a ? device on their car and made fake ads on ? 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, ? Wenig, told him to ? the Steiners because they said bad things about the ?. 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 ? to stop the Steiners from talking and protect the company's reputation. This case ? how ? 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 ? to pay the fine shows that they know they did something ? and want to make it right.

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?

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