Did E-bay set themselves up for a HUGE problem?

Now, my brain works in strange and unusual ways. Sometimes it's so brilliant, and works so quickly, that even I have no idea what I'm saying or why. On the other hand.... sometimes the 'ol brain box takes it's grand time mulling over a subject before the bulb dimly comes to life and the buzzer kinda rattles a sickly Bzzzz to let me know a message is waiting.

Thats what happened this morning as I was driving. I clearly heard the BZzzzzrt that signaled an incoming message.

Hmm..... Lets just open 'er up and see what's cooking!

As was mentioned here, and discussed over much of the blog-o-verse, Ebay has discontinued auctions on items they feel are socially unacceptable. At least, in the narrow region of the universe they call home. This has nothing to do with legality, just their company philosophy on social engineering and legal maneuvering for profits sake.

Now.... Da 'ol brain is trying to kick something they said back into my attention zone.

"After learning that some items purchased on eBay may have been used in the tragedy at Virginia Tech in April 2007, we felt that revisiting our policies was not only necessary, but the right thing to do. After much consideration, the Trust & Safety policy team – along with our executive leaders at eBay Inc. – have made the decision to further restrict more of these items than federal and state regulations require."

Oh, I see.... Why didn't I think of that before...... "The right thing to do". That puts it in the realm of 'right' and 'wrong', and it says from their company view point that having these items sold on E-bay would be 'wrong' no matter how legal it is. All those hundreds of thousands of items auctioned in these categories were wrong to have been handled by E-bay. All the millions E-bay made providing the market place for these items was akin to blood money, as E-bay now says they were wrong to provide the venue.

That means..... Uh Oh...... This could go real bad in a real hurry for E-bay. I better go and make sure none of the funds we invest in own E-bay stock.

E-bay just stated they bear corporate responsibility for the items auctioned through their site. As soon as they say the company has some moral obligation to ban what's otherwise legal, then they have admitted a company obligation to look at EVERY item they sell from that stand point.

E-bay just took on responsibility for what is auctioned on their web site. They placed themselves in the loop as the moral arbiter of the marketplace they run. In terms of a flea market, they went from the owner of the parking lot to a partner in every sale.

E-bay just took moral responsibility for everything sold on E-bay, because they just made a moral judgment about one genre of legal items that have been sold on E-bay since it was first started. In for a inch, in for a mile!

I can just hear the legal eagles warming up their expense accounts now!

"Were your stolen belongings sold on E-bay?"
"Did you buy defective cat toys on E-bay"
"Have you ever bought anything at E-bay auction that didn't work right?!?"
"Have you been offended by the porn sold on E-bay?!?!?!"

"You may have money coming to you! Call Binkly, Binkly, and Screwem, attorneys at law and specialists in the new field of reaming E-bay for cash!"