Live data from Hacker News

Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

franken.senate.gov

31–40 of 147 posts

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#31
I note that many of the questions are around the processes, training, rules, etc. that govern the use of technology developed by Uber. This is important.

Systems Engineering teaches the concept of POSTED: People, Organisation, Support, Training, Equipment and Doctrine. When a system is developed, it must give consideration to all of these aspects. Failing to do so means you design an incomplete system.

In this case, Uber has developed a piece of Equipment, their God Mode view. Franken's asking about the other pieces of the system, such as the training, support and doctrine and people. These are equally as important to design, document and implement. Failing to give due consideration to these aspects of the system is no different to having an incomplete equipment solution developed. I'm interested to see whether Uber gave due consideration to these aspects of the system.

There's something to be said about startups moving fast to develop technology but not necessarily the other aspects of a complete system. Mature systems engineering / software development firms do this day in and day out. Yes, it can lead to slower iteration on the core technology and capabilities, but it is critically important to consider. I suspect it's often a pinch point when start-ups try to scale, for example when a piece of technology then needs to consider user access rights, etc.

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#32

Publicity stunt. When has he ever been worried about privacy in relation to his stance for the NSA? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/11/al-franken-nsa_n_34...

I replied elsewhere as well, but Franken was a co-sponsor for Sen. Leahy's NSA reform bill that was killed yesterday. Even the AEI gives Franken credit for this;

http://www.techpolicydaily.com/technology/nsa-surveillance-r...

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#33

So, I completely agree with this letter, but I felt a sense of unease reading it. I realized why. Other companies are as bad or worse about privacy, where are all those letters? I wish there were a lot more of these and wonder if the only reason this one exists is because the blowup with Uber was so visible and so it can be used for political posturing.

At the same time, we run into a problem with your unease, namely that we have to catalogue and rank by severity every privacy breach before addressing any individual one. Which is the same as saying we'll never address any.

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#34
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Who knows when The Eye will glare your way? It never will - Franken loses his chairmanship of the committee come January when the Republicans take power, which only serves to highlight that this "investigation" is merely him pandering to his constituency on his way out.

The subcommittee, which is specifically tasked with looking at tech privacy issues, isn't going away.

No, but it will certainly be rendered useless by a majority party which believes government should have no meaningful say in any decisions made by businesses.

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#35

Publicity stunt. When has he ever been worried about privacy in relation to his stance for the NSA? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/11/al-franken-nsa_n_34...

I replied elsewhere as well, but Franken was a co-sponsor for Sen. Leahy's NSA reform bill that was killed yesterday. Even the AEI gives Franken credit for this; http://www.techpolicydaily.com/technology/nsa-surveillance-r...

Thanks, I'm a little behind on what he has been up to.

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#36
post #10

So, I completely agree with this letter, but I felt a sense of unease reading it. I realized why. Other companies are as bad or worse about privacy, where are all those letters? I wish there were a lot more of these and wonder if the only reason this one exists is because the blowup with Uber was so visible and so it can be used for political posturing.

This was my reaction as well. Yes, Uber's behavior here is reprehensible. But it's also kid stuff compared to what other entities (including the Federal Government itself, whose behavior we never agreed to in a TOS agreement) are engaged in, and I have to wonder what, if any, authority the government could exert in these circumstances (disregarding the appropriateness of the use of said authority, or any potential le…

> So while I agree with the spirit of what Frankin is saying, I'm just left with distaste for what obvious posturing and pandering it is.

At least someone is speaking up. You criticize Al Franken for not going after everyone else as well, but why not criticize the other 99 senators who haven't done anything. I apologize in advance if I'm missing another senator that has done anything like this about privacy.

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#37

Franken supported the NSA as the surveillance scandal broke: "I can assure you, this is not about spying on the American people." [ http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/the-nsa-has-at-least... ]. I thought it was relevant.

Franken also co-sponsored the original (much better) version of the bill that was voted down yesterday to prevent NSA dragnet surveillance: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2050720/tech-firms-push-for-n... http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/1/4790484/can-the-nsa-transp... Politics aren't always black and white..

Even Better, yesterday was just a dog and pony show.

The 2009 dissent, led by a senior NSA official and embraced by others at the agency, prompted the Obama administration to consider, but ultimately abandon, a plan to stop gathering the records.

The secret internal debate has not been previously reported. The Senate on Tuesday rejected an administration proposal that would have curbed the program and left the records in the hands of telephone companies rather than the government. That would be an arrangement similar to the one the administration quietly rejected in 2009.

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#38
This is officially the most blown-out-of-proportion story in the history of the Internet. When was the last time the US Senate got involved after you went on a rant at a party? I'm certain that Sarah Lacy is enjoying both the attention and the money from pageviews, but this is getting ridiculous.

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#39
post #31

I note that many of the questions are around the processes, training, rules, etc. that govern the use of technology developed by Uber. This is important. Systems Engineering teaches the concept of POSTED: People, Organisation, Support, Training, Equipment and Doctrine. When a system is developed, it must give consideration to all of these aspects. Failing to do so means you design an incomplete system. In this case,…

[deleted]

Re: Senator Al Franken's Letter to Uber [pdf]

#40
post #28

It seems like a lot of things are coming home to roost right now for Uber. As with many things, I think that Uber is the first player in an arena where the second player tends to survive (because they learn from all the first player's mistakes for free, the groundwork is laid, etc). The barrier to entry for an Uber competitor is quite low and trust is the only thing that keeps Uber afloat. If they don't realize that…

I keep hearing this argument that the barrier to entry is so low for an Uber competitor, but I think people massively underestimate the difficulty of successfully running a system like Uber. Here in Boston where Uber has wide adoption, I just watched a competitor with an impressive team (Hailo) fold up shop as they struggled to gain traction and compete. Where are all these other competitors that are going to come along and easily compete with Uber. Not to mention, there's huge advantages that network affects have in the vertical.
Post reply on HN