A Massachusetts couple, who were harassed by eBay Inc. employees over critical blog posts, are pushing back against the company’s efforts to force them to disclose confidential sources allegedly scared off by the ordeal.
Journalists Ina and David Steiner, who run the blog EcommerceBytes, told U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris on Friday that eBay’s motion to compel them to reveal these sources or stop seeking damages related to them is both untimely and inappropriate. The Steiners argue that journalistic privilege protects their right to withhold the names of these sources, stressing the importance of safeguarding press freedoms in the ongoing EBay stalking case.
EBay Stalking Case: Defending Journalistic Privilege
“The public relies on the ability of news reporters to keep their promises of confidentiality to their sources,” the Steiners wrote in their opposition. They emphasized that without such protections, critical information exposing powerful institutions may never come to light. This defense is crucial as the couple seeks to prevent eBay from accessing their confidential communications under the guise of legal strategy in the EBay stalking case.
