eBay
Risk Level:
Summary:
eBay has regularly used its corporate reputation to advance causes such as the Equality Act as well as vocally opposing Donald Trump. The company limited the sale of legal firearm components and has removed Dr. Seuss' books from its site due to "offensive imagery," while other offensive and violent material has been sold using eBay's platform. eBay donates to a wide variety of ideological groups through its charitable giving program. eBay does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. For these reasons, eBay receives a "High Risk" rating.
Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.
eBay received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) (1). Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies. In 2007, eBay banned the sale of many firearm components that are legal for purchase in most states and had made the guidelines stricter as time has gone on (2). In 2022, eBay banned users from reselling six Dr. Seuss books that had recently been pulled from publication due to “offensive” imagery, although it has allowed the sale of several overtly racist and/or anti-Semitic works as well as a Black Lives Matter-supporting T-shirt that depicts a police officer being executed (3)(4). It remains unclear if such a discrepancy in its “offensive content” policy remains today.
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
In 2016, eBay’s founder and former chairman signed an open letter denouncing former President Donald Trump’s Presidential candidacy (1). eBay is a member of the Business Coalition for the Equality Act (2). In 2016, eBay signed the HRC’s amicus brief that voiced opposition to North Carolina’s HB2 bill (3). Then-CEO Devin Wenig sent out a large, thinly-veiled denunciation of Trump to all staff in the form of a memo after his victory in the 2016 election (4). Current CEO Jamie Iannone has been a vocal proponent of the Black Lives Matter movement (5). eBay’s Human Rights Policy Statement declares that the company “stands against legislation that opposes (LGBTQ) rights” (6).
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
eBay has contributed to Planned Parenthood (1). eBay also includes the Southern Poverty Law Center, various Planned Parenthood chapters, the Black Lives Matter Militia, and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in the eBay for Charity program, which allows sellers to donate anywhere up to 100% of the cost of the product to a specific fund (2)(3)(4)(5)(6).
Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.
The eBay PAC contributes to candidates and PACs in a bipartisan manner in accordance with business interests (1).
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 28, 2023
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