Judge rules in favour of eBay in environmental lawsuit

eBay was found not liable for allowing the sale of harmful products on its platform, as a federal judge ruled the company did not act as a ‘seller’.

eBay, lawsuit, environment

A United States federal judge has dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit accusing eBay of violating environmental laws by allowing the sale of harmful products on its platform. The ruling cited Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields online platforms from liability over user content.

The judge concluded that eBay’s administrative support for sellers did not make it liable for the unlawfulness of the products sold. She also ruled that eBay was not a ‘seller’ as it did not physically possess or hold title to the items in question.

The lawsuit accused eBay of enabling the sale of thousands of devices designed to evade vehicle emissions controls, unregistered pesticides, and products containing harmful chemicals. The government argued that this conduct violated several environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act.

eBay responded by stating its dedication to maintaining a trusted marketplace and promised to continue investing in measures to prevent the sale of prohibited items. The Justice Department declined to comment on the ruling.