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from the I-don't-have-to-accept-your-business dept.
Submitted via IRC for SoyCow5743
Portland, Oregon, was one of the cities we mentioned where Uber employed the so-called "Greyball" tool. The city has now released a scathing report detailing that Uber evaded picking up 16 local officials for a ride before April 2015, when the service finally won approval by Portland regulators.
The Greyball software employs a dozen data points on a new user in a given market, including whether a rider's Uber app is opened repeatedly in or around municipal offices, which credit card is linked to the account, and any publicly available information about the new user on social media. If the data suggests the new user is a regulator in a market where Uber is not permitted, the company would present that user with false information about where Uber rides are. This includes showing ghost cars or no cars in the area.
The city concluded that, when Uber started operating in the city in December 2014 without Portland's authorization, the Greyball tool blocked 17 rider accounts. Sixteen of those were government employees. In all, Greyball denied 29 ride requests by city transportation enforcement officers.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by DeathMonkey on Monday September 18 2017, @05:54PM (5 children)
Choosing to not serve individuals who's sole purpose in existence is to either remain neutral or interfere with how you would like to operate your business, is not illegal.
Yes, it is. Regulated industries always have "must allow investigators" as part of their regulation.
This software proves intent to avoid investigators, willfullness towards any violations, and possibly adds a conspiracy charge to the list.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 18 2017, @07:00PM (1 child)
Please do share the section of the criminal code relating to this. You won't find it because it does not exist. If an OSHA inspector comes to my place of business, I can legally refuse to allow them entrance to my business (even if there was e.g. a recent incident) unless they have an administrative warrant. I do not know why people here are so determined to not only make up laws, but to make up rather draconian laws.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 18 2017, @07:08PM
Makes it easier to convert people to their libertarian "no gov!" fantasy. Like the people who stretch the truth about abortion and welfare to the point of insanity.
(Score: 2) by BK on Monday September 18 2017, @08:02PM (2 children)
Driving is regulated. I have a radar detector and GPS software that warns me about hazards. What have I done wrong?
...but you HAVE heard of me.
(Score: 3, Informative) by frojack on Monday September 18 2017, @11:52PM (1 child)
It depends on where you drive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar_detector#Legality [wikipedia.org]
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by BK on Tuesday September 19 2017, @01:02AM
I live in a place that at least pays lip service to the laws of physics... I can legally receive any frequency.
...but you HAVE heard of me.