Whatever It Takes – Hot Docs 2024

An e-commerce blogger is targeted by an aggressive cyber-stalker in Whatever It Takes. For over 25 years Natick, Massachusetts resident Ina Steiner and her husband David operated the blog EcommerceBytes, advising sellers using e-commerce platforms such as eBay. However, beginning in the summer of 2019, Ina and David would begin receiving treats on Twitter from a user named “Tui Elei.” These threats soon escalate into full-scale cyber-stalking, as the Steiners would receive deliveries of a pig mask from the film Saw, boxes of insects, and a funeral reef. When the stalking turns physical, police trace the license plate of the stalker's car, making a surprising discovery.

Whatever It Takes Synopsis

Whatever It Takes is an extremely twisty cyber true crime documentary directed by Jenny Carchman. Without giving away too many of the film's big reveals, the motive for the cyberstalkers involves blog posts Ida Steiner wrote about the current state of eBay. Formed as one of the first e-commerce sites under the founding principle that “people are basically good,” the company underwent major changes in 2015 under CEO David Wenig. The company would soon become the target of “analyst investor” Elliot Management, hoping to drive eBay's price up, while forcing Wenig out.

My Thoughts on Whatever It Takes

Whatever It Takes is a documentary that is best seen knowing as little as possible about the intricate details of this case, which starts as a cyber-stalking thriller and turns into something much more shocking. I will say that the case develops to include the FBI cybercrime unit, a former operative with the CIA, and a cyber-security department that gets trimmed down by its male head to include only women under 25. The result is Whatever It Takes being a peek into the dark underbelly of the world eBay has created.