Slashdot Mirror
Justice Department Opens Criminal Probe Into Uber (washingtonpost.com)
parallel_prankster quotes a report from Washington Post: The Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into Uber's use of a secret software that was used to evade authorities in places where its ride-sharing service was banned or restricted, according to a person familiar with the government's probe. The investigation is in its early stages, but deepens the crisis for the embattled company and its chief executive and founder Travis Kalanick, who has faced a barrage of negative press this year in the wake of high-profile sexual harassment complaints, a slew of high-level executive departures, and a consequential trade secrets lawsuit from Google's parent company. The federal criminal probe, first reported by Reuters, focuses on software developed by Uber called "Greyball." The program helped the company evade officials in cities where Uber was not yet approved. The software identified and blocked rides to transportation regulators who were posing as Uber customers to prove that the company was operating illegally.
So it's software designed to implement the right not to self-incriminate. Sort of.
Shopkeeper: what can I get you?
Me: I'd like a dozen softwares and three hardwares, please.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
They've already commited enough shenanigans to warrant the corporate death penalty.
Corporatism != Free Market
I wonder if this particular specimen of arrogant entitled Tech Bro will finally realise its better to work with regulators around the world than to try and bully your way onto the scene and hope you built up enough critical mass to bulldoze your way through all those tedious regulations and laws that other companies have to comply with.
The idea behind Uber is a good one, but I hope the company itself goes out of business. Its business and HR practices stink and we don't need a company like that running transportation services (not that they'd stop there tbh).
Let's face it, he had a good idea but went full megalo with the implementation. Who the FUCK do you think you are, Travis? Lex Luthor?
capcha : shamed
Well, it's criminal conspiracy. Other than that, I suppose that you could say people trying to hide crimes are "implementing their right to not self-incriminate."
It's a novice mistake for a corporation to violate criminal law. The right way is to pay off a Congressman to get the law changed, while at the same time making it illegal for your competitor so that the government will raid them with machine guns when they try to engage in the behavior that was made legal for you.
The only thing I haven't seen Uber accused of is facilitating murder sprees or white power movements. They've got everything else covered.
I thought part of the Trump plan to make America great again was to turn a blind eye towards Corporate America. Why is the Justice Department doing its job?
a criminal investigation was launched into the government's use of secret software that was used to secretly spy on citizens.
WHAT TOOK SO LONG?!
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
Thank you for gifting us, for informating us, with the needfuls. (Have you tried rebooting your grammars?)
Let's see, Uber has already had large public announcements abut developing self-diving cars, then flying cars. Each of these were after some bad press about Uber. What will they announce next to distract from this.
Alternatively, there just could be so much bad press that any PR stunt they hold will be immediately after something bad came out.
Uber challenged the stale Taxi monopolies with a new dispatch and payment processing system. However, eventually VCs will get tired of buying people cab rides.
I think Travis and Uber are definitely pushing the limits...the sexual harassment stuff is clearly wrong and they've pushed the boundaries on countless other activities. However, is the ability for a corporation (entity) to preserve itself through technology actually criminal? It seems to me that unless Uber was avoiding paying some type of city tax during trips within a city which hadn't "approved" Uber then what you have here is a "you didn't break any laws, but we're pissed because you didn't receive our permission yet" situation.
Uber has some serious issues, but unless they can tie Uber to a clear violation of the law this is nothing more than a nuisance for Uber, and I'm sure there lawyers will quash this easily.
... really means "operating illegally".
proper insurance is needed taxis have it uber kind of has it.
The only question for Uber is who will pound the final nail into the companies coffin. They basically have ignored, and circumvented regulations, cheated its own contractors, and provided no moral or ethical backbone to its operation. It operates purely on deceit and manipulation to succeed. Eventually any company operating this way dissolves.
uber can just blame there 1099'er doing the work / running the software.
Plain and simple. About time it was addressed.
Authorities don't have the authority to restrict it or forbid it in some areas. Free Enterprise, Equal protection under the law, and the 9th Amendment right to travel.
In a truely free society as America is supposed to be, Uber drivers can go where they like, and this fascism practice in government and the courts is out of control. Many people are fighting back, by simply saying no.
You want us to pay a penalty for not having health insurance? NO!
Given their malicious attempts at evading compliance, that should at least nullify any agreements made to allow their operation.
Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
I want to jump on the bash Uber as much as the next. First the police were violating the terms of service. Secondly I have a feeling many of cases were instances of police entrapment. Local police requesting pick ups near city borders, new Uber drivers that don't know it is illegal at some small airport. Finally the police were trying to spy on all uber drivers in an area without a warrant.