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Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off

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Re: Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off

#151

Post by AlexandrB »

bastawhiz wrote: post #91
yladiz wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, but why does Uber need/care about that information? If I ask to be dropped off at X and walk a couple blocks to Y, Uber shouldn't care. I can understand the argument that maybe going to certain buildings you have to be dropped off at a specific spot, but that seems like a minor gain for something that's more than just a minor intrusion.

(Uber engineer here) The data is used for (or can be used for) a number of practical and important purposes. These are some examples of what we do as well as what we could do with such data: - Fighting fraud - Improving "suggested pickup" locations - Improvements around POOL (we'd rather suggest a location that's easy to pick up from than one that's unsafe) - Figuring out what side of the street you end up on (we can…

> Individual users' data is very closely guarded internally. It's immensely difficult to look at user data without specific access. Overwhelmingly, this data is queried in aggregate and fed into machine learning systems. The risk of abuse is exceptionally low.

For now. You haven't mentioned how long this data is kept, which means I can assume "forever". This means that a future change of policy, an acquisition, or a merger can expose this data to a variety of third parties (not to mention the obvious possible exposure to governments).

The reasons you have listed for gathering the data are not sufficient to offset the future risk to me. Moreover why should I do unpaid data acquisition for Uber while bearing all the risk in case the data is exposed? If you want higher detail location information, do what Google did and send out cars with sensors.

Re: Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off

#153

Post by justinator »

bastawhiz wrote: post #142
ak2196 wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> The risk of abuse is exceptionally low. I call bullshit. This coming from the same guys who were mapping one night stands using ride data? What were you guys studying there. Fornicating habits of young adults in large metropolitans? http://www.whosdrivingyou.org/blog/ubers-deleted-rides-of-gl... I almost forgot about the time you guys were tracking journalists. Uber has a reputation and history of being a "shady"…

> Uber has a reputation and history of being a "shady" company. I'm not going to try to defend our reputation. But it's worth saying that things are locked down _pretty damn tight_ around sensitive data. I've worked in enterprise file storage in the past, and the internal security at Uber is far better (relatively speaking), and continues to mature.

> things are locked down _pretty damn tight_ around sensitive data

Commenting, to save this little gem for the inevitable time when Uber gets hacked. Again.

Re: Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off

#154

Post by yladiz »

0xmohit wrote: post #144
bastawhiz wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(Uber engineer here) The data is used for (or can be used for) a number of practical and important purposes. These are some examples of what we do as well as what we could do with such data: - Fighting fraud - Improving "suggested pickup" locations - Improvements around POOL (we'd rather suggest a location that's easy to pick up from than one that's unsafe) - Figuring out what side of the street you end up on (we can…

Why can't you let the feature be opt-in? Your iOS app effectively turns useless when choosing "Never". You can't do anything other than booking a cab. No access to account information, ride information, anything else. ---- Yeah, I get what it is when you say: Improving "suggested pickup" locations If your app watches me 24x7, then it'd be able to predict pickup locations better. Good job. It can't get creepier.

In fairness you can access the app, it's just the little hamburger icon is grayed out making it seem like you can't access it. I was able to click it just fine even with the "ENABLE GPS" overlay.

Re: Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off

#155

Post by koticheshte »

bastawhiz wrote: post #91
yladiz wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, but why does Uber need/care about that information? If I ask to be dropped off at X and walk a couple blocks to Y, Uber shouldn't care. I can understand the argument that maybe going to certain buildings you have to be dropped off at a specific spot, but that seems like a minor gain for something that's more than just a minor intrusion.

(Uber engineer here) The data is used for (or can be used for) a number of practical and important purposes. These are some examples of what we do as well as what we could do with such data: - Fighting fraud - Improving "suggested pickup" locations - Improvements around POOL (we'd rather suggest a location that's easy to pick up from than one that's unsafe) - Figuring out what side of the street you end up on (we can…

Can individual users get access to their own data? Can they take this data with them, similar to Google's takeout?

Re: Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off

#157

Post by berberous »

amluto wrote: post #26

I really wish that both Android and iOS had an option to outright prevent an app from doing anything in the background. No sensors, no location, no push notifications, no network access, no CPU time, URL protocols, no nothing. If I don't click the little app icon, the app shouldn't run, full stop.

I wish iOS forced all apps to offer "Always/While Using/Never" for location info. It's bullshit that Uber can refuse to offer the middle choice.

Re: Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off

#158

Post by dannyobrien »

stirner wrote: post #120
bastawhiz wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(Uber engineer here) The data is used for (or can be used for) a number of practical and important purposes. These are some examples of what we do as well as what we could do with such data: - Fighting fraud - Improving "suggested pickup" locations - Improvements around POOL (we'd rather suggest a location that's easy to pick up from than one that's unsafe) - Figuring out what side of the street you end up on (we can…

Your haughty attitude toward privacy is really chilling. If Uber hasn't received a NSL [1] I would be astounded, and your employer doesn't have a great track record [2]. Please think hard about the world you are helping to create. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_security_letter [2] http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-is-investigating-...

If NSLs are included under its "national security" category, Uber said it has not received any such requests at the time of its last Transparency Report. https://transparencyreport.uber.com

Re: Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off

#159

Post by benliong78 »

ipqk wrote: post #88
dav43 wrote: post #7

This is the perfect example of development for the sake of development. The new user experience is terrible and provides the user with zero extra benefits. I seriously can't see how a product manager signs off on these updates.

I live in NYC with a lot of one-way streets, including my home. I actually use two different addresses for my home depending on whether I'm being picked-up or dropped-off. Otherwise, when being dropped off, Uber has sent me on some really odd detours just to get me exactly in front of my house. Instead, I'd rather get dropped off at a corner and walk 200 feet. In theory, by collecting the location data 5 minutes afte…

That's a fair point, and I've lived in NYC briefly to know that it is indeed annoying to see the driver do circling around in traffic to get exactly to the door.

You can use AI to solve it, or you can give the user power to tell the driver that he/she is willing to work a little bit. A simple button may have been suffice

Re: Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off

#160

Post by nojvek »

yladiz wrote: post #34

I saw this earlier and had hopes that the update would just let me choose "While Using" in the app settings, like some other apps allow you even if they request access even while not using the app, but the settings only allow for "Always" or "Never" on iPhone. However, you can use Uber without allowing GPS, so it's not all or nothing. I'm a little disturbed that they need any information after I use Uber though. They…

Well it's the same company that creepily gives me a code interview in the app because it knows I go to a software company couple of times a week and pushes a job ad.

Uber has a lot of sensitive information regarding users. Who goes where and when. This in the wrong hand can be very disastrous. E.g Trump to Uber: "gimme list of all people who to to mosques frequently. No tax for you." Uber: "Here you go. Just don't tell anyone. "

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