Uber backtracks on Greyball, will stop using controversial law-evading program

[midian182]

With allegations of sexism and sexual harassment, lawsuits, and a video of CEO Travis Kalanick acting like an ass, Uber is in damage control mode right now. The company’s latest attempt to repair its image involves the controversial Greyball program used to deceive regulators. After defending the system following the New York Times report that first revealed Greyball, Uber now says it will stop using the tool.

In a brief blog post, Uber chief security officer Joe Sullivan wrote: “We have started a review of the different ways this technology has been used to date. In addition, we are expressly prohibiting its use to target action by local regulators going forward.”

Greyball uses several techniques, including geofencing, credit card info, social media, and device number checks to identify city officials who may be attempting to hail an Uber car and catch it violating local taxi regulations. The tool then stops those who are “greyballed” from catching a ride by showing fake cars or no cars on the app’s map, or canceling any that get ordered.

Greyball was used in locations where ride-hailing firms such as Uber weren’t strictly legal, such as Boston, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland, Oregon, and in countries including France, Australia, China, South Korea and Italy.

Uber said the program “denies ride requests to users who are violating our terms of service. Whether that’s people aiming to physically harm drivers, competitors looking to disrupt our operations, or opponents who collude with officials on secret ‘stings’ meant to entrap drivers.”

Now the company has backtracked on Greyball, though it won’t be disappearing overnight. “Given the way our systems are configured, it will take some time to ensure this prohibition is fully enforced,” writes Sullivan.

The move marks Uber’s second change of heart in as many weeks. Its San Francisco self-driving vehicles were banned by the California DMV in December after Uber refused to apply for a permit, but the firm recently announced it has applied for and received the necessary licenses.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/68451-uber-backtracks-greyball-stop-using-controversial-law-evading.html

 

[Yynxs]

Yep. "...Change of heart...." Money talks and hindering its acquisition, walks.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robert...sses-uber-and-on-demand-economy/#176507e62291
"...she characterizes the on-demand economy as committing wage theft. It is a serious accusation, with early reports suggesting she leans toward making workers employees so the government can protect them...."​

http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/25/technology/uber-ceo-trump/index.html
Uber CEO defends Trump relationship to employees
by Seth Fiegerman @sfiegerman January 25, 2017: 5:13 PM ET
Uber's CEO drove home a simple message to employees this week: We must work with President Trump.

At the company's weekly all hands meeting, CEO Travis Kalanick addressed concerns about his working relationship with Trump by claiming it's necessary in order to fulfill Uber's mission of improving global transportation.

"We'll partner with anyone in the world as long they're about making transportation in cities better, creating job opportunities, making it easier to get around, getting pollution out of the air and traffic off the streets," Kalanick told employees.

Uber, like other tech companies, is facing some pushback from the generally liberal Silicon Valley community over its relationship with the incoming administration.

On Inauguration Day, protesters stood in front of Uber's San Francisco office holding a sign that read: "Uber collaborates with Trump."

Kalanick is one of several tech executives to join Trump's business advisory group. Others include Tesla (TSLA) and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and IBM (IBM, Tech30) CEO Ginni Rometty.

Kalanick's rhetoric about Trump was notably different in earlier all hands meetings before the election, according to one former Uber employee.

"Travis generally joked about or made fun of Trump during internal all hands. The tone was typically one of disbelief ... at some of Trump's assertions," the former employee told CNNTech. "But even still, none of Travis's personal feelings about him matter, if Trump's the guy with all the power."

Kalanick's recent comments echo those of Apple (AAPL, Tech30) CEO Tim Cook, who was one of about a dozen tech executives to meet with Trump at Trump Tower last month.

"We engage when we agree and we engage when we disagree," Cook told employees after the meeting, according to multiple reports. "I think it's very important to do that because you don't change things by just yelling."

Even among some top execs at Uber, working with Trump may be a bitter pill to swallow.

Thuan Pham, Uber's CTO, who escaped Vietnam as a child in 1979, pledged to "help defeat" the "deplorable" Trump and his "destructive agenda" in an internal email after the election, according to Business Insider.

Pham did not respond to a request for comment. When asked about the e-mail, Uber sent CNNMoney its earlier response to the inauguration protests.

"As a company we're committed to working with government on issues that affect riders, drivers and the cities where we operate," Uber said in that statement. "Just as we worked with the Obama administration, we'll work with the Trump administration, too."

In recent years, Uber has hired top political operators and ramped up its lobbying spending as it faces regulatory battles around the country.

Apparently, that thinking applies no matter who is in office.
CNNMoney (New York) First published January 25, 2017: 3:17 PM ET​