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AI agents aren’t the ‘new Google,’ says Airbnb CEO | TechCrunch

AI agents aren’t the ‘new Google,’ says Airbnb CEO | TechCrunch

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After a second-quarter earnings beat, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky shared his thoughts on the company’s AI strategy, cautioning investors that AI chatbots can’t yet be thought of as the “new Google.” That is, AI chatbots, while potentially driving new leads to the travel and services business, aren’t entirely a replacement for the referrals that the dominant search engine brings.

At least not at this time.

“I think we’re still kind of feeling out the space,” the exec told investors on the Q2 earnings call. “The thing I want to caution is I don’t think that AI agents — I don’t think we should think of chatbots like Google — I don’t think we should think of them as the ‘new Google’ yet.”

This, Chesky explained, is because AI models aren’t “proprietary.”

“We also have to remember that the model powering ChatGPT is not proprietary. It’s not exclusive to ChatGPT. We — Airbnb — can also use the API, and there are other models that we can use,” he said.

Painting a broader picture of the AI landscape, Chesky said that in addition to chatbots and other AI agents, there will be custom-built startups designed for specific applications, as well as other incumbents that have made the shift to AI.

“One of the things we’ve noticed is it’s not enough to just have … the best model. You have to be able to tune the model and build a custom interface for the right application. And I think that’s the key,” he said.

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The company told investors it will look to take advantage of AI in a number of ways.

Airbnb shared during the call that its AI customer service agent in the U.S. reduced the percentage of guests contacting a human agent by 15%, for instance. This was actually harder than tackling the lower-hanging fruit involving travel planning and inspiration, Chesky said, because AI agents performing customer service can’t hallucinate. They have to be able to be accurate and helpful at all times.

Airbnb’s customer service agent was built using 13 different models and trained on tens of thousands of conversations, and is currently available in English in the U.S. This year, Airbnb will roll it out to more languages, and next year, it will become more personalized and agentic. That means it would be able to understand if someone reaches out to cancel a reservation; it would not only be able to tell them how to do so, but it could also do it for them. The agent could also help plan and book trips.

Plus, AI will come to Airbnb’s search next year, the CEO said.

However, the company has not fully fleshed out its plans for working with third-party AI agents, although it’s considering it. Users still need an Airbnb account to make a booking.

Because of this, Chesky doesn’t think agentic AI would turn its business into a commodity, the way that booking flights has become. Instead, he sees AI as “potentially interesting lead generation” for the company.

“… I think the key thing is going to be for us to lead and become the first place for people to book travel on Airbnb. As far as whether or not we integrate with AI agents, I think that’s something that we’re certainly open to,” he said.

Airbnb beat analysts’ expectations in the quarter with revenue of $3.1 billion and earnings per share of $1.03, but the stock dropped on its forecast of slower growth in the second half of the year.

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reports, Vivo has started preparations for launching its S series phones back in India with the release of the Vivo S2 smartphone. While Vivo hasn’t officially confirmed a release date, some reports indicate the phone could launch on August 6th, with sales expected to begin on August 11. This would mark the revival of the S series of phones in India following the debut of the Vivo S1 phone back in 2019. Reports have also given an early look at its design while revealing details about its expected specifications, color options, and launch plans.

Expected Specifications and Camera Features

Leaks suggest the Vivo S2 will feature an OLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The phone may use the MediaTek Dimensity 7360 chipset, built on a 4nm process. Reports also suggest the phone will come in 8GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB variants. On the camera front, the Vivo S2 is tipped to include a 50MP Sony main sensor. Some information also suggests that the phone would be capable of recording videos in 4K quality through both front and rear cameras.

According to some recent leaks, the Vivo S2 would come with a sleek design. It would have a 3D curved display with narrow borders and a punch-hole selfie camera at the center of the device. On the back side, there would be a camera module in the shape of a pill with two big rings and an LED flash. Unlike many smartphones, the camera module matches the rear panel color for a more seamless finish. Vivo could offer the phone in Sapphire Blue, Regal Bronze, and Silk White. Its design closely resembles the Vivo X300 FE. Vivo has not shared any battery details yet. However, one report suggests the Vivo S2 may pack a 7,000mAh battery. This information is still based on leaks and awaits official confirmation.

Expected Price of Vivo S2

The Vivo S2 could target India’s premium mid-range smartphone market. It might cost anywhere between ₹40,000 and ₹50,000, though Vivo has not yet officially announced its pricing. Some leaks also reveal internal listing prices, but they may differ from the final retail price. On launch, the Vivo S2 will challenge the OnePlus Nord 6 and the Motorola Edge 70 Pro smartphones. It will also take on the Realme 16 Pro series and Vivo V70 FE.

#Vivo #India #Launch #Tipped #August #Design #Key #Specs #LeakedVivo">Vivo S2 India Launch Tipped for August 6: Design and Key Specs Leaked According to reports, Vivo has started preparations for launching its S series phones back in India with the release of the Vivo S2 smartphone. While Vivo hasn’t officially confirmed a release date, some reports indicate the phone could launch on August 6th, with sales expected to begin on August 11. This would mark the revival of the S series of phones in India following the debut of the Vivo S1 phone back in 2019. Reports have also given an early look at its design while revealing details about its expected specifications, color options, and launch plans. Expected Specifications and Camera Features Leaks suggest the Vivo S2 will feature an OLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The phone may use the MediaTek Dimensity 7360 chipset, built on a 4nm process. Reports also suggest the phone will come in 8GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB variants. On the camera front, the Vivo S2 is tipped to include a 50MP Sony main sensor. Some information also suggests that the phone would be capable of recording videos in 4K quality through both front and rear cameras. According to some recent leaks, the Vivo S2 would come with a sleek design. It would have a 3D curved display with narrow borders and a punch-hole selfie camera at the center of the device. On the back side, there would be a camera module in the shape of a pill with two big rings and an LED flash. Unlike many smartphones, the camera module matches the rear panel color for a more seamless finish. Vivo could offer the phone in Sapphire Blue, Regal Bronze, and Silk White. Its design closely resembles the Vivo X300 FE. Vivo has not shared any battery details yet. However, one report suggests the Vivo S2 may pack a 7,000mAh battery. This information is still based on leaks and awaits official confirmation. Expected Price of Vivo S2 The Vivo S2 could target India’s premium mid-range smartphone market. It might cost anywhere between ₹40,000 and ₹50,000, though Vivo has not yet officially announced its pricing. Some leaks also reveal internal listing prices, but they may differ from the final retail price. On launch, the Vivo S2 will challenge the OnePlus Nord 6 and the Motorola Edge 70 Pro smartphones. It will also take on the Realme 16 Pro series and Vivo V70 FE. #Vivo #India #Launch #Tipped #August #Design #Key #Specs #LeakedVivo

, Vivo has started preparations for launching its S series phones back in India with the release of the Vivo S2 smartphone. While Vivo hasn’t officially confirmed a release date, some reports indicate the phone could launch on August 6th, with sales expected to begin on August 11. This would mark the revival of the S series of phones in India following the debut of the Vivo S1 phone back in 2019. Reports have also given an early look at its design while revealing details about its expected specifications, color options, and launch plans.

Expected Specifications and Camera Features

Leaks suggest the Vivo S2 will feature an OLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The phone may use the MediaTek Dimensity 7360 chipset, built on a 4nm process. Reports also suggest the phone will come in 8GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB variants. On the camera front, the Vivo S2 is tipped to include a 50MP Sony main sensor. Some information also suggests that the phone would be capable of recording videos in 4K quality through both front and rear cameras.

According to some recent leaks, the Vivo S2 would come with a sleek design. It would have a 3D curved display with narrow borders and a punch-hole selfie camera at the center of the device. On the back side, there would be a camera module in the shape of a pill with two big rings and an LED flash. Unlike many smartphones, the camera module matches the rear panel color for a more seamless finish. Vivo could offer the phone in Sapphire Blue, Regal Bronze, and Silk White. Its design closely resembles the Vivo X300 FE. Vivo has not shared any battery details yet. However, one report suggests the Vivo S2 may pack a 7,000mAh battery. This information is still based on leaks and awaits official confirmation.

Expected Price of Vivo S2

The Vivo S2 could target India’s premium mid-range smartphone market. It might cost anywhere between ₹40,000 and ₹50,000, though Vivo has not yet officially announced its pricing. Some leaks also reveal internal listing prices, but they may differ from the final retail price. On launch, the Vivo S2 will challenge the OnePlus Nord 6 and the Motorola Edge 70 Pro smartphones. It will also take on the Realme 16 Pro series and Vivo V70 FE.

#Vivo #India #Launch #Tipped #August #Design #Key #Specs #LeakedVivo">Vivo S2 India Launch Tipped for August 6: Design and Key Specs Leaked

According to reports, Vivo has started preparations for launching its S series phones back in India with the release of the Vivo S2 smartphone. While Vivo hasn’t officially confirmed a release date, some reports indicate the phone could launch on August 6th, with sales expected to begin on August 11. This would mark the revival of the S series of phones in India following the debut of the Vivo S1 phone back in 2019. Reports have also given an early look at its design while revealing details about its expected specifications, color options, and launch plans.

Expected Specifications and Camera Features

Leaks suggest the Vivo S2 will feature an OLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The phone may use the MediaTek Dimensity 7360 chipset, built on a 4nm process. Reports also suggest the phone will come in 8GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB variants. On the camera front, the Vivo S2 is tipped to include a 50MP Sony main sensor. Some information also suggests that the phone would be capable of recording videos in 4K quality through both front and rear cameras.

According to some recent leaks, the Vivo S2 would come with a sleek design. It would have a 3D curved display with narrow borders and a punch-hole selfie camera at the center of the device. On the back side, there would be a camera module in the shape of a pill with two big rings and an LED flash. Unlike many smartphones, the camera module matches the rear panel color for a more seamless finish. Vivo could offer the phone in Sapphire Blue, Regal Bronze, and Silk White. Its design closely resembles the Vivo X300 FE. Vivo has not shared any battery details yet. However, one report suggests the Vivo S2 may pack a 7,000mAh battery. This information is still based on leaks and awaits official confirmation.

Expected Price of Vivo S2

The Vivo S2 could target India’s premium mid-range smartphone market. It might cost anywhere between ₹40,000 and ₹50,000, though Vivo has not yet officially announced its pricing. Some leaks also reveal internal listing prices, but they may differ from the final retail price. On launch, the Vivo S2 will challenge the OnePlus Nord 6 and the Motorola Edge 70 Pro smartphones. It will also take on the Realme 16 Pro series and Vivo V70 FE.

#Vivo #India #Launch #Tipped #August #Design #Key #Specs #LeakedVivo

Before Denis Villeneuve came aboard as the next James Bond movie director, another intriguing project was sitting in his potential “to-do” pile: an adaptation of Nuclear War: A Scenario, Annie Jacobsen‘s 2024 book that uses extensive interviews and research to examine, minute by minute, what would happen if nuclear war broke out. Her latest book sounds very much in that same vein; it’s titled Biological War: A Scenario, and though it’s just been released today, it’s already been scooped up for adaptation.

Variety reports that Patrick Macmanus (the creator of Peacock’s Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy) secured the rights to a television adaptation for his production company; he and Jacobsen will co-create and serve as executive producers on Biological War.

The book takes a close look at the seconds, minutes, hours, and days after the release of a microscopic agent that could bring down civilization if it’s allowed to spread across the globe. And it’s a weapon, not unlike The Stand‘s Captain Trips, so presumably the show will include a heavy government-military aspect to things as well.

“What begins with a routine day leads to the end of the world six days later,” Macmamus told Variety. “But it isn’t ultimately a nihilistic show. Yes. There’s the dark excitement and exploration of the apocalypse. But there’s a parallel story of the instinct to protect and rebuild. A celebration of community and family. The wish-fulfillment of starting the human experiment over again in the hopes of getting it right this time around.”

The Variety piece mentions the potential Villeneuve adaptation of Nuclear War, so maybe we’ll get to see that on screens eventually too. So far, there’s no streamer or network locked in for Biological War, but the trade writes “the television adaptation will be taken out to buyers in the upcoming weeks.”

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Annie #Jacobsens #Biological #War #ComingAnnie Jacobsen,Biological War">Annie Jacobsen’s ‘Biological War’ Is Coming to TV Before Denis Villeneuve came aboard as the next James Bond movie director, another intriguing project was sitting in his potential “to-do” pile: an adaptation of Nuclear War: A Scenario, Annie Jacobsen‘s 2024 book that uses extensive interviews and research to examine, minute by minute, what would happen if nuclear war broke out. Her latest book sounds very much in that same vein; it’s titled Biological War: A Scenario, and though it’s just been released today, it’s already been scooped up for adaptation. Variety reports that Patrick Macmanus (the creator of Peacock’s Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy) secured the rights to a television adaptation for his production company; he and Jacobsen will co-create and serve as executive producers on Biological War. The book takes a close look at the seconds, minutes, hours, and days after the release of a microscopic agent that could bring down civilization if it’s allowed to spread across the globe. And it’s a weapon, not unlike The Stand‘s Captain Trips, so presumably the show will include a heavy government-military aspect to things as well. “What begins with a routine day leads to the end of the world six days later,” Macmamus told Variety. “But it isn’t ultimately a nihilistic show. Yes. There’s the dark excitement and exploration of the apocalypse. But there’s a parallel story of the instinct to protect and rebuild. A celebration of community and family. The wish-fulfillment of starting the human experiment over again in the hopes of getting it right this time around.” The Variety piece mentions the potential Villeneuve adaptation of Nuclear War, so maybe we’ll get to see that on screens eventually too. So far, there’s no streamer or network locked in for Biological War, but the trade writes “the television adaptation will be taken out to buyers in the upcoming weeks.” Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Annie #Jacobsens #Biological #War #ComingAnnie Jacobsen,Biological War

came aboard as the next James Bond movie director, another intriguing project was sitting in his potential “to-do” pile: an adaptation of Nuclear War: A Scenario, Annie Jacobsen‘s 2024 book that uses extensive interviews and research to examine, minute by minute, what would happen if nuclear war broke out. Her latest book sounds very much in that same vein; it’s titled Biological War: A Scenario, and though it’s just been released today, it’s already been scooped up for adaptation.

Variety reports that Patrick Macmanus (the creator of Peacock’s Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy) secured the rights to a television adaptation for his production company; he and Jacobsen will co-create and serve as executive producers on Biological War.

The book takes a close look at the seconds, minutes, hours, and days after the release of a microscopic agent that could bring down civilization if it’s allowed to spread across the globe. And it’s a weapon, not unlike The Stand‘s Captain Trips, so presumably the show will include a heavy government-military aspect to things as well.

“What begins with a routine day leads to the end of the world six days later,” Macmamus told Variety. “But it isn’t ultimately a nihilistic show. Yes. There’s the dark excitement and exploration of the apocalypse. But there’s a parallel story of the instinct to protect and rebuild. A celebration of community and family. The wish-fulfillment of starting the human experiment over again in the hopes of getting it right this time around.”

The Variety piece mentions the potential Villeneuve adaptation of Nuclear War, so maybe we’ll get to see that on screens eventually too. So far, there’s no streamer or network locked in for Biological War, but the trade writes “the television adaptation will be taken out to buyers in the upcoming weeks.”

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Annie #Jacobsens #Biological #War #ComingAnnie Jacobsen,Biological War">Annie Jacobsen’s ‘Biological War’ Is Coming to TVAnnie Jacobsen’s ‘Biological War’ Is Coming to TV Before Denis Villeneuve came aboard as the next James Bond movie director, another intriguing project was sitting in his potential “to-do” pile: an adaptation of Nuclear War: A Scenario, Annie Jacobsen‘s 2024 book that uses extensive interviews and research to examine, minute by minute, what would happen if nuclear war broke out. Her latest book sounds very much in that same vein; it’s titled Biological War: A Scenario, and though it’s just been released today, it’s already been scooped up for adaptation. Variety reports that Patrick Macmanus (the creator of Peacock’s Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy) secured the rights to a television adaptation for his production company; he and Jacobsen will co-create and serve as executive producers on Biological War. The book takes a close look at the seconds, minutes, hours, and days after the release of a microscopic agent that could bring down civilization if it’s allowed to spread across the globe. And it’s a weapon, not unlike The Stand‘s Captain Trips, so presumably the show will include a heavy government-military aspect to things as well. “What begins with a routine day leads to the end of the world six days later,” Macmamus told Variety. “But it isn’t ultimately a nihilistic show. Yes. There’s the dark excitement and exploration of the apocalypse. But there’s a parallel story of the instinct to protect and rebuild. A celebration of community and family. The wish-fulfillment of starting the human experiment over again in the hopes of getting it right this time around.” The Variety piece mentions the potential Villeneuve adaptation of Nuclear War, so maybe we’ll get to see that on screens eventually too. So far, there’s no streamer or network locked in for Biological War, but the trade writes “the television adaptation will be taken out to buyers in the upcoming weeks.” Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. #Annie #Jacobsens #Biological #War #ComingAnnie Jacobsen,Biological War

Before Denis Villeneuve came aboard as the next James Bond movie director, another intriguing project was sitting in his potential “to-do” pile: an adaptation of Nuclear War: A Scenario, Annie Jacobsen‘s 2024 book that uses extensive interviews and research to examine, minute by minute, what would happen if nuclear war broke out. Her latest book sounds very much in that same vein; it’s titled Biological War: A Scenario, and though it’s just been released today, it’s already been scooped up for adaptation.

Variety reports that Patrick Macmanus (the creator of Peacock’s Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy) secured the rights to a television adaptation for his production company; he and Jacobsen will co-create and serve as executive producers on Biological War.

The book takes a close look at the seconds, minutes, hours, and days after the release of a microscopic agent that could bring down civilization if it’s allowed to spread across the globe. And it’s a weapon, not unlike The Stand‘s Captain Trips, so presumably the show will include a heavy government-military aspect to things as well.

“What begins with a routine day leads to the end of the world six days later,” Macmamus told Variety. “But it isn’t ultimately a nihilistic show. Yes. There’s the dark excitement and exploration of the apocalypse. But there’s a parallel story of the instinct to protect and rebuild. A celebration of community and family. The wish-fulfillment of starting the human experiment over again in the hopes of getting it right this time around.”

The Variety piece mentions the potential Villeneuve adaptation of Nuclear War, so maybe we’ll get to see that on screens eventually too. So far, there’s no streamer or network locked in for Biological War, but the trade writes “the television adaptation will be taken out to buyers in the upcoming weeks.”

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Annie #Jacobsens #Biological #War #ComingAnnie Jacobsen,Biological War

perhaps the most disturbing harassment campaign ever led by a giant tech company against its critics.

Back in 2020, six former eBay employees and one contractor were charged with participating in a horrifying campaign—featuring doxxing, threats, and deliveries of live pests—against David and Ina Steiner, the husband-and-wife founders of the Massachusetts-based news site EcommerceBytes. The Steiners wrote about eBay regularly, and often not in a flattering light. In 2021, the couple filed a civil suit; EBay later agreed to pay a $3 million criminal penalty to the US Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts.

Now the civil litigation case just reached a final settlement. The Steiners will receive more than $46.15 million from eBay, $2 million from Wenig, $500,000 from former eBay executive Wendy Jones, and $50,000 from former eBay executive Steve Wymer.

EBay is also giving $6 million to charity, with an additional $1 million from Wenig going to a nonprofit that protects First Amendment rights. The company is required to issue a strongly worded statement condemning the actions of the former employees who were involved.

Notably, the settlement contains no confidentiality provision, which means the Steiners can continue to speak out about the case.

“From day one, that was a dealbreaker,” says Chris Murphy, an attorney for the Steiners at the personal injury firm Scalli Murphy Law in Everett, Massachusetts. “As journalists, and as victims, the Steiners were very clear that they wanted everyone to see and understand what eBay did to them. And from day one, they were ready to go to trial over it.”

“It’s a relief in some sense that we have some finality,” David Steiner said in an interview with WIRED. “But I think that it’s going to take a while to really see what this means in the bigger context of a settlement, versus having gone to trial. We were really adamant that this type of behavior by a Fortune 500 corporation didn’t go unchecked.”

Ina Steiner underscored that the couple ultimately pursued a civil suit because they wanted to better understand the kind of culture that precipitated this harassment campaign—and that in filing the civil suit, they gained access to 68,000 documents they would not have otherwise seen. “We were often in the dark during the federal investigation, and we were told very little as victims,” she said.

Spokespersons for eBay referred WIRED to a statement published online, in which the company extended its “deepest apologies” to the Steiners, condemned the employees who “perpetrated and pled guilty to criminal charges for the misconduct against Ina and David Steiner,” and acknowledged “the unprofessional tone in internal communications demonstrated, to different degrees and number, by Mr. Wenig, Mr. Wymer, and Ms. Jones.” The company emphasized that new leadership is now in charge, and that the incidents from 2019 are “not representative of eBay’s culture or thousands of employees around the world today.”

According to the initial criminal complaints, the harassment campaign led by eBay executives and contractors unfolded over a period of two months in the summer 2019. It began with anonymous, threatening Twitter DMs to the Steiners, then quickly escalated to deliveries to the couple’s home. These deliveries included a bloody pig mask, pornography, a package of fly larvae and live spiders, and another package containing live cockroaches. Other deliveries were themed around death, including a copy of a book on grieving a spouse and a funeral wreath from a local florist. All throughout, the anonymous Twitter account continued to send harassing messages. As text messages would later reveal in court documents, those DMs and deliveries were concocted and sent by the defendants.

#Ebay #Pay #Million #Settlement #Unhinged #Harassment #Campaignebay,harassment,crime,surveillance">Ebay Has to Pay .7 Million in Settlement for Its Unhinged Harassment CampaignA civil litigation case against eBay, filed by the founders of a Massachusetts-based news site that covers ecommerce, has just been settled. The gist of it: The company and former execs have to own up to—and pay up for—perhaps the most disturbing harassment campaign ever led by a giant tech company against its critics.Back in 2020, six former eBay employees and one contractor were charged with participating in a horrifying campaign—featuring doxxing, threats, and deliveries of live pests—against David and Ina Steiner, the husband-and-wife founders of the Massachusetts-based news site EcommerceBytes. The Steiners wrote about eBay regularly, and often not in a flattering light. In 2021, the couple filed a civil suit; EBay later agreed to pay a million criminal penalty to the US Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts.Now the civil litigation case just reached a final settlement. The Steiners will receive more than .15 million from eBay, million from Wenig, 0,000 from former eBay executive Wendy Jones, and ,000 from former eBay executive Steve Wymer.EBay is also giving million to charity, with an additional million from Wenig going to a nonprofit that protects First Amendment rights. The company is required to issue a strongly worded statement condemning the actions of the former employees who were involved.Notably, the settlement contains no confidentiality provision, which means the Steiners can continue to speak out about the case.“From day one, that was a dealbreaker,” says Chris Murphy, an attorney for the Steiners at the personal injury firm Scalli Murphy Law in Everett, Massachusetts. “As journalists, and as victims, the Steiners were very clear that they wanted everyone to see and understand what eBay did to them. And from day one, they were ready to go to trial over it.”“It’s a relief in some sense that we have some finality,” David Steiner said in an interview with WIRED. “But I think that it’s going to take a while to really see what this means in the bigger context of a settlement, versus having gone to trial. We were really adamant that this type of behavior by a Fortune 500 corporation didn’t go unchecked.”Ina Steiner underscored that the couple ultimately pursued a civil suit because they wanted to better understand the kind of culture that precipitated this harassment campaign—and that in filing the civil suit, they gained access to 68,000 documents they would not have otherwise seen. “We were often in the dark during the federal investigation, and we were told very little as victims,” she said.Spokespersons for eBay referred WIRED to a statement published online, in which the company extended its “deepest apologies” to the Steiners, condemned the employees who “perpetrated and pled guilty to criminal charges for the misconduct against Ina and David Steiner,” and acknowledged “the unprofessional tone in internal communications demonstrated, to different degrees and number, by Mr. Wenig, Mr. Wymer, and Ms. Jones.” The company emphasized that new leadership is now in charge, and that the incidents from 2019 are “not representative of eBay’s culture or thousands of employees around the world today.”According to the initial criminal complaints, the harassment campaign led by eBay executives and contractors unfolded over a period of two months in the summer 2019. It began with anonymous, threatening Twitter DMs to the Steiners, then quickly escalated to deliveries to the couple’s home. These deliveries included a bloody pig mask, pornography, a package of fly larvae and live spiders, and another package containing live cockroaches. Other deliveries were themed around death, including a copy of a book on grieving a spouse and a funeral wreath from a local florist. All throughout, the anonymous Twitter account continued to send harassing messages. As text messages would later reveal in court documents, those DMs and deliveries were concocted and sent by the defendants.#Ebay #Pay #Million #Settlement #Unhinged #Harassment #Campaignebay,harassment,crime,surveillance

ever led by a giant tech company against its critics.

Back in 2020, six former eBay employees and one contractor were charged with participating in a horrifying campaign—featuring doxxing, threats, and deliveries of live pests—against David and Ina Steiner, the husband-and-wife founders of the Massachusetts-based news site EcommerceBytes. The Steiners wrote about eBay regularly, and often not in a flattering light. In 2021, the couple filed a civil suit; EBay later agreed to pay a $3 million criminal penalty to the US Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts.

Now the civil litigation case just reached a final settlement. The Steiners will receive more than $46.15 million from eBay, $2 million from Wenig, $500,000 from former eBay executive Wendy Jones, and $50,000 from former eBay executive Steve Wymer.

EBay is also giving $6 million to charity, with an additional $1 million from Wenig going to a nonprofit that protects First Amendment rights. The company is required to issue a strongly worded statement condemning the actions of the former employees who were involved.

Notably, the settlement contains no confidentiality provision, which means the Steiners can continue to speak out about the case.

“From day one, that was a dealbreaker,” says Chris Murphy, an attorney for the Steiners at the personal injury firm Scalli Murphy Law in Everett, Massachusetts. “As journalists, and as victims, the Steiners were very clear that they wanted everyone to see and understand what eBay did to them. And from day one, they were ready to go to trial over it.”

“It’s a relief in some sense that we have some finality,” David Steiner said in an interview with WIRED. “But I think that it’s going to take a while to really see what this means in the bigger context of a settlement, versus having gone to trial. We were really adamant that this type of behavior by a Fortune 500 corporation didn’t go unchecked.”

Ina Steiner underscored that the couple ultimately pursued a civil suit because they wanted to better understand the kind of culture that precipitated this harassment campaign—and that in filing the civil suit, they gained access to 68,000 documents they would not have otherwise seen. “We were often in the dark during the federal investigation, and we were told very little as victims,” she said.

Spokespersons for eBay referred WIRED to a statement published online, in which the company extended its “deepest apologies” to the Steiners, condemned the employees who “perpetrated and pled guilty to criminal charges for the misconduct against Ina and David Steiner,” and acknowledged “the unprofessional tone in internal communications demonstrated, to different degrees and number, by Mr. Wenig, Mr. Wymer, and Ms. Jones.” The company emphasized that new leadership is now in charge, and that the incidents from 2019 are “not representative of eBay’s culture or thousands of employees around the world today.”

According to the initial criminal complaints, the harassment campaign led by eBay executives and contractors unfolded over a period of two months in the summer 2019. It began with anonymous, threatening Twitter DMs to the Steiners, then quickly escalated to deliveries to the couple’s home. These deliveries included a bloody pig mask, pornography, a package of fly larvae and live spiders, and another package containing live cockroaches. Other deliveries were themed around death, including a copy of a book on grieving a spouse and a funeral wreath from a local florist. All throughout, the anonymous Twitter account continued to send harassing messages. As text messages would later reveal in court documents, those DMs and deliveries were concocted and sent by the defendants.

#Ebay #Pay #Million #Settlement #Unhinged #Harassment #Campaignebay,harassment,crime,surveillance">Ebay Has to Pay $55.7 Million in Settlement for Its Unhinged Harassment Campaign

A civil litigation case against eBay, filed by the founders of a Massachusetts-based news site that covers ecommerce, has just been settled. The gist of it: The company and former execs have to own up to—and pay up for—perhaps the most disturbing harassment campaign ever led by a giant tech company against its critics.

Back in 2020, six former eBay employees and one contractor were charged with participating in a horrifying campaign—featuring doxxing, threats, and deliveries of live pests—against David and Ina Steiner, the husband-and-wife founders of the Massachusetts-based news site EcommerceBytes. The Steiners wrote about eBay regularly, and often not in a flattering light. In 2021, the couple filed a civil suit; EBay later agreed to pay a $3 million criminal penalty to the US Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts.

Now the civil litigation case just reached a final settlement. The Steiners will receive more than $46.15 million from eBay, $2 million from Wenig, $500,000 from former eBay executive Wendy Jones, and $50,000 from former eBay executive Steve Wymer.

EBay is also giving $6 million to charity, with an additional $1 million from Wenig going to a nonprofit that protects First Amendment rights. The company is required to issue a strongly worded statement condemning the actions of the former employees who were involved.

Notably, the settlement contains no confidentiality provision, which means the Steiners can continue to speak out about the case.

“From day one, that was a dealbreaker,” says Chris Murphy, an attorney for the Steiners at the personal injury firm Scalli Murphy Law in Everett, Massachusetts. “As journalists, and as victims, the Steiners were very clear that they wanted everyone to see and understand what eBay did to them. And from day one, they were ready to go to trial over it.”

“It’s a relief in some sense that we have some finality,” David Steiner said in an interview with WIRED. “But I think that it’s going to take a while to really see what this means in the bigger context of a settlement, versus having gone to trial. We were really adamant that this type of behavior by a Fortune 500 corporation didn’t go unchecked.”

Ina Steiner underscored that the couple ultimately pursued a civil suit because they wanted to better understand the kind of culture that precipitated this harassment campaign—and that in filing the civil suit, they gained access to 68,000 documents they would not have otherwise seen. “We were often in the dark during the federal investigation, and we were told very little as victims,” she said.

Spokespersons for eBay referred WIRED to a statement published online, in which the company extended its “deepest apologies” to the Steiners, condemned the employees who “perpetrated and pled guilty to criminal charges for the misconduct against Ina and David Steiner,” and acknowledged “the unprofessional tone in internal communications demonstrated, to different degrees and number, by Mr. Wenig, Mr. Wymer, and Ms. Jones.” The company emphasized that new leadership is now in charge, and that the incidents from 2019 are “not representative of eBay’s culture or thousands of employees around the world today.”

According to the initial criminal complaints, the harassment campaign led by eBay executives and contractors unfolded over a period of two months in the summer 2019. It began with anonymous, threatening Twitter DMs to the Steiners, then quickly escalated to deliveries to the couple’s home. These deliveries included a bloody pig mask, pornography, a package of fly larvae and live spiders, and another package containing live cockroaches. Other deliveries were themed around death, including a copy of a book on grieving a spouse and a funeral wreath from a local florist. All throughout, the anonymous Twitter account continued to send harassing messages. As text messages would later reveal in court documents, those DMs and deliveries were concocted and sent by the defendants.

#Ebay #Pay #Million #Settlement #Unhinged #Harassment #Campaignebay,harassment,crime,surveillance

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