Document leak reveals Uber’s secret activities – media — Analysis

The taxi-hailing giant struck secret “deals” and duped police in several countries, documents obtained by The Guardian show
Uber has sought to strike secretive deals with governments and attempted to thwart police investigations in several countries, the taxi-hailing giant’s leaked documents show. The Guardian revealed that the activities were carried out while Uber was under investigation for tax evasion, and robbing taxi drivers of their livelihoods.
The Guardian has obtained more than 124,000 text messages and emails from company presentations, and distributed them to around 40 media outlets. The reports on what was dubbed the ‘Uber Files’ were first published on Sunday.
These documents show that Uber executives have met over 100 times with representatives from 17 countries including the US Vice President Joe Biden as well as former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Enda Kenny from Ireland, Toomas Henderik Ilves, and President Toomas Hendrik IIlves of Estonia. There were 12 meetings previously unknown with European Commission officials as part of lobbying.
Uber’s lobbyists also met with French President Emmanuel Macron on at least four occasions when he was serving as economy minister, between 2014 to 2016. Text messages between Macron’s company and Uber show that Macron, the future president, may have arranged a secret meeting. “deal”Uber France. Uber claims that Macron and Uber have close relationships which helped them recover from violent demonstrations in Marseille 2015 by taxi drivers.
Leaked documents show Uber may have used the following: “the kill switch”During office raids in France and Belgium, Romania, Hungary, Romania, Hungary, or India, to remote block access by police to its systems.

“Please kill access now,” the company’s attorney Zac de Kievit wrote in an email during a raid on Uber’s Paris office in 2014, according to reports.
Uber may have seen attacks from disgruntled drivers of taxis as an opportunity promote its cause, according to internal communications. In 2016, Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick proposed to stage pro-Uber counter-demonstrations after violence against its drivers in Paris.
“We will look at effective civil disobedience and at the same time keep folks safe,” Mark MacGann, Uber’s chief lobbyist in Europe at the time, wrote.
“I think it’s worth it,”Kalanick, who retired as CEO in 2017, replied. “Violence guarantee[s] success. And these guys must be resisted, no?”
Jill Hazelbaker, Uber spokesperson, stated that Uber has been able to provide a “safe and secure” environment for its customers. “revamped”After making significant improvements in the last few years, its leadership team has been significantly enhanced and practices have improved. “mistakes”The past.
“We’ve moved from an era of confrontation to one of collaboration, demonstrating a willingness to come to the table and find common ground with former opponents, including labor unions and taxi companies,”Hazelbaker claimed.
“We have not and will not make excuses for past behavior that is clearly not in line with our present values.”
Devon Spurgeon spokeswoman on behalf of Kalanick and stated that former CEO was not interested in Kalanick. “never authorized any actions or programs that would obstruct justice in any country,” “never suggested that Uber should take advantage of violence at the expense of driver safety.”
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