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Uber's "Hell" program created fake Lyft accounts, used info to coax double-drivers
- Thread starter enzo_gt
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its really not any different than the millions of new customer deals that existing customers can't get. loyalty doesn't pay
or for a closer analogy: new hires always make more money
The goal of Uber isn't to make a profit right now. It's to become so large and so ubiquitous that it can draw enough investors to hang on until full automation, at which point it becomes the de facto car service.
Too bad everyone involved seems to be a piece of shit.
godhandiscen
There are millions of whiny 5-year olds on Earth, and I AM THEIR KING.
This is genius IMO. The practice of using your competitors service to gain insight into their data is not new. I have battled against these systems before. I don't find it unfair. You take every advantage you get.
Contractors are not customers. Its like offering my employees $10/hr but if youre new ill pay $13. Its not something the workers would just be okay with
You think new hires getting paid more is no different than a marketing promotion?
but that is exactly how the world works. If you want competitive pay increases you need to switch companies. Loyal long-term employees always get shafted
https://www.forbes.com/sites/camero...r-than-2-years-get-paid-50-less/#bc27f53e07fa
basically no works should ever protest because they will inconvenience someone. Roger that.
TrojanBlade
Member
I bet Lyft uses something like this too to keep an eye on their competitors ... Uber is just at the wrong end of the stick these days. Most companies do shitty things to overcome or learn about their competitors. Its hip to hate Uber these days. As long as they don't break any laws or rights, this is capitalism.
Shy Fingers
Banned
...New hires often do get paid more though.
That's a terrible business plan that will take 10+ years to turn a dime of profit.
Yep. "How can we use data-gathering to be our utmost scummy?"
Well it worked for Amazon. Not saying I disagree that it's a terrible business plan, but there's plenty of cases of VC money propping something up until it can dominate a market, and given all these stories about the lengths Uber is willing to go, the idea that they will be utterly ruthless in destroying any competitor, especially once they can become entrenched and have killed off established taxi services, is not at all far-fetched.
Seriously. Cab companies are fucking awful.
Ok and thats why I would be pissed lol. Im not arguing about it being bad for the bottom line, im saying id be pissed as a worker. Not only does that further support my point but its even worse than that because they are actually funneling their business to specific contractors. Its like in sales when they give the best performers the most business except even worse because its not even based on performance
Gamer @ Heart
Member
That's what alot of tech start up are. They stay afloat just long enough to be acquired. Twitter still hasn't made a profit.
radios shipping overview
Member
These threads are always full of SV cheerleaders who show how much they value success over ethics.
godhandiscen
There are millions of whiny 5-year olds on Earth, and I AM THEIR KING.
They do, it isn't as sophisticated as Uber's.
TrojanBlade
Member
godhandiscen
There are millions of whiny 5-year olds on Earth, and I AM THEIR KING.
well ...thats credit to Uber then, for having smarter (cunning) people
No, Uber is morally wrong in every action they take. Haven't you heard?
But haven't you heard?
Capitalism is the best system and the invisible hand of the free market will make sure everyone is being treated fairly no matter what!
It's okay if Uber is screwing over its fellow man. It just means they're more clever than their competition!
/s
Just because everyone is doing it doesn't mean it's okay.
freeofgreed
Member
How did they do this without hacking into Lyft's network?
Edit: nvm misread it.
simply reverse engineer the app and use the same api
lyft publishes the data in question, as does uber. no hacking required
And twitter is not a particularly successful company. People know what it is but it doesn't make money. It has lost $2-$3 billion in the last 6 years, Uber burned through that in 2016!
Uber is a special case because people claim that it's "master plan" relies on technology that doesn't exist yet, efficiently setting up infrastructure to run said non-existent technology, and somehow getting the billions of dollars (which will surely dwarf the entirety of VC that has already been invested into the company) required to set up said infrastructure while losing like $2 billion/year in the process.
It's absolutely the most overvalued tech startup. A recession will absolutely kill Uber. Shit, higher interest rates might kill Uber. Anything that gives even a slight disruption to The attractiveness of VC could easily put the entire company in a cash crunch that it can't recover from.
How the hell are these companies still referred to as startups? Uber has $ Billions in cash and 1000s to hundreds of thousands of employees, depending on the definition of a contractor.
Uber is a fucking Cab company.
So they're doing it well.
PeskyToaster
Member
Kind of a cool idea actually. Doesn't really harm the workers, just lets them take advantage of Uber lol.
They didn't call in fake rides.
There's a difference between a typical strike (withdrawal of labour) and fucking up the roads for everyone else so that ambulances can't reach people who need them.
All for the sake of protesting a new enforcement system against taxi drivers that drive like idiots.
If they're upset about it then they could simply refuse to drive that day, the problem is that hardly anyone would notice because they provide a luxury service barely anyone needs and their absence just drops air pollution and makes it safer to cycle.
The Greek Freak
Member
Still would be better than the 100% scam artist rate I've run in with regular taxis sadly.
Experienced this as well.
Honestly between racist drivers with cars that reak/drive like psychos/lie about credit card machines an Uber driver could legit punch me in the stomach as hard as they could and it would still be better than any cab ride.
The Scollard
Member
Don't really see the problem with it. It's kind of clever, really. It's not like they falsified rides or anything; they just figured out which of their drivers were driving for both them and Lyft, and offered them incentives to only drive for them. Kind of sneaky, but not really scummy.
Toronto? Back about a year ago, there was a taxi strike where video emerged of a taxi deliberately blocking an ambulance, and another of a taxi driver threatening an Uber driver in his car.
Toronto? Back about a year ago, there was a taxi strike where video emerged of a taxi deliberately blocking an ambulance, and another of a taxi driver threatening an Uber driver in his car.
DOWN
Banned
Yeah sorry, but I can't imagine that most major companies aren't very investigative of their competitors. Hell, Ford bought Tesla's on day one to reverse engineer some of it.
Chmpocalypse
Blizzard
Just_myles
Member
Man Uber is pretty fucking savage. They create a bad precedent when they are allowed to get away with things like this. New and clever ways of corporate espionage.
Keep doing it.
Keep doing it.
go on
jellies_two
Member
Uber is getting exposed
But I seriously doubt their tech culture is unique. They are just a large target with momentum runnin against them. Elements of the shady stuff they seem ok with doing are probably present in other Silicon Valley firms I doubt new Uber employees were like "omg how unusual this is shady shit I have never encountered in my career".
But I seriously doubt their tech culture is unique. They are just a large target with momentum runnin against them. Elements of the shady stuff they seem ok with doing are probably present in other Silicon Valley firms I doubt new Uber employees were like "omg how unusual this is shady shit I have never encountered in my career".
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