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Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

techcrunch.com

31–40 of 228 posts

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#31

Uber can't seem to catch a break these days, can they. Can anyone explain how this is different from Google and Facebook following you around with informatics everywhere you go on the internet? The favicon trick is a pretty good example.

What's the favicon trick?

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#32
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, in a perfect world, because the clause would be unenforceable as contrary to public policy. I have no opinion on the actual legality of it.

So, what terms do you see as enforceable on a private API? If I set up a server to respond to only the people I choose, what restrictions can I make on it in your perfect world?

If you set up a server to respond to only people you choose, it's on you to make sure it's only people you choose that use it. Then you can make any restrictions you want and invalidate access for anyone who goes against your rules

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#33
post #6

So, no one was really able to answer my question last thread. In fact, I mostly got snarky condescending replies. I've stopped caring about such things though, so hopefully good-faith questions are still welcome: What's wrong with Uber tracking Lyft drivers? What is wrong with using a competitor's API to get real-time tactical information about them? Not only did it not harm Lyft drivers, but it actually aided them:…

If you read this article ( https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/12/hell-o-uber/ ) you'll find it goes much futher then just accessing Lyft's public API. They created fake customer accounts, spoofed their locations and even linked the data about drivers they got from this to their own drivers. So what's wrong with this? To quote the article, possibly: "breach of contract, unfair business practices, stealing trade secrets an…

"and violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act"

This I'm most interested in, as the DoJ has frequently used the hammer against those who violate the act.

EDIT: Would love to get your opinion rayiner if you read this comment on what the odds are the DoJ prosecutes for this.

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#34
post #27

One after the other. To put a conspiracy/playful hat on - seriously this is not my serious opinion - could it be that Uber is getting set up? Not necessarily framed but "oops, this just got leaked" set of dominoes. Apparently quite a few people are mad at Uber, like Apple, and Google, and the taxi drivers ...

The far more simple answer is that this is who Kalanick and Uber are.

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that clause contrary to public policy? If I provide information to my customers, I have to provide the same information directly to my competitor? Why does that make the world better?

It makes the world better by not attempting to draw a legal distinction based on somebody's internal motives. In this particular case, it makes the world better by recognizing that "prohibiting competition" is not a worthwhile goal for the state to promote. We recently had another spurt of articles praising California's policy of not enforcing noncompetes as to employees. Why are noncompetes for customers a better id…

[deleted]

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#36

It is no coincidence that Techcrunch loves writing negative articles about Uber almost weekly now.... It draws in page views which equals ad revenue from the constantly outraged.

How terrible terrible the news media has become, writing about things that happen, and that happen to interest people.

Personally, I only read things that I don't want to read, and the options are really getting thin these days.

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#37
post #32
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, what terms do you see as enforceable on a private API? If I set up a server to respond to only the people I choose, what restrictions can I make on it in your perfect world?

If you set up a server to respond to only people you choose, it's on you to make sure it's only people you choose that use it. Then you can make any restrictions you want and invalidate access for anyone who goes against your rules

So otherwise it is wild-west, no legal recourse, right?

Do you really believe that?

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#38
post #27

One after the other. To put a conspiracy/playful hat on - seriously this is not my serious opinion - could it be that Uber is getting set up? Not necessarily framed but "oops, this just got leaked" set of dominoes. Apparently quite a few people are mad at Uber, like Apple, and Google, and the taxi drivers ...

I postulate that many more companies do this type of behavior than you realize, and the heightened attention, and entrenched competition are sure to surface every little screwup. So basically its a bit of both.

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#39

It is no coincidence that Techcrunch loves writing negative articles about Uber almost weekly now.... It draws in page views which equals ad revenue from the constantly outraged.

Maybe Uber should stop doing negative things then.

You know it can be both...

Re: Uber gets sued over alleged ‘Hell’ program to track Lyft drivers

#40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that clause contrary to public policy? If I provide information to my customers, I have to provide the same information directly to my competitor? Why does that make the world better?

It makes the world better by not attempting to draw a legal distinction based on somebody's internal motives. In this particular case, it makes the world better by recognizing that "prohibiting competition" is not a worthwhile goal for the state to promote. We recently had another spurt of articles praising California's policy of not enforcing noncompetes as to employees. Why are noncompetes for customers a better id…

It makes the world better by not attempting to draw a legal distinction based on somebody's internal motives.

That's called mens rea and it's how, for example, various types of murder and accidental death are distinguished. It's kind of a core element of western jurisprudence...

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