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Uber uses 'secret program' Greyball to hide from regulators Uber uses 'secret program' Greyball to hide from regulators
(about 2 hours later)
Uber has been using a secret program to prevent undercover regulators from shutting down the taxi-hailing service in cities around the world.Uber has been using a secret program to prevent undercover regulators from shutting down the taxi-hailing service in cities around the world.
The software, called Greyball, was developed to help protect the company from "violations of terms of service". The software, called Greyball, sought to identify officials trying to catch its drivers and deny them service, the New York Times reports.
But data collected through Uber's phone app was also used to identify officials monitoring its drivers. Uber has frequently been at odds with governments - and with competitors.
Uber has acknowledged that Greyball has been used in multiple countries, the New York Times reports. Greyball was used to secure early access to cities where its operations had not been authorised.
The tool has enabled the company to monitor users' habits. In most cases, local officials wanted to make sure the company was subjected to the same conditions of service required by the legislation.
But it also identified regulators posing as ordinary passengers while investigating whether Uber was breaking local laws governing taxis. The New York Times said existence of the Greyball program was confirmed by four current and former Uber employees, who were not named.
The software works by collecting geolocation data and credit card information to determine whether the user is linked to an institution or law enforcement authority. Greyball identified regulators posing as ordinary passengers, by collecting data on the location used when ordering a taxi and determining whether this coincided with government offices.
A "fake" version of the app would then allow those individuals suspected of attempting to entrap drivers to hail a cab, only to have their booking cancelled. It also checked credit card information to establish whether the user is linked to an institution or law enforcement authority.
Uber, the report adds, even visited phone shops to trace smartphones bought by city officials setting up multiple accounts in an effort to catch the company's drivers.
Once individuals suspected of attempting to entrap drivers were identified, they would be served a "fake" version of the Uber app, with fictitious cabs on view, and where they were successful in ordering a real one, they would have their booking cancelled. Local officials contend this is illegal.
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The existence of the Greyball program was revealed in an article published in the New York Times on Friday, which attributed the information to four current and former Uber employees, who were not named.
"This program denies ride requests to fraudulent users who are violating our terms of service," Uber said in a statement."This program denies ride requests to fraudulent users who are violating our terms of service," Uber said in a statement.
"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," it added."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," it added.
It comes in the same week that the chief executive of Uber, Travis Kalanick, was forced to apologise after a video emerged of him swearing at one of the company's drivers. Just two weeks earlier he apologised for "abhorrent" sexism at the company.It comes in the same week that the chief executive of Uber, Travis Kalanick, was forced to apologise after a video emerged of him swearing at one of the company's drivers. Just two weeks earlier he apologised for "abhorrent" sexism at the company.