How Uber used US politicians to break into new markets
What you need to know:
- Uber entered the Tanzanian market in 2016, and has since suspended operations due to failure to agree with local authorities over new rates
The San Francisco-based ride-hailing company, Uber has been using politicians to break into new markets, and dodge regulation and land laws, a new leak shows.
The leaked documents referred to as the Uber Files, were obtained by The Guardian newspaper and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and 42 other media partners.
They reveal how Uber muscled into new markets rivalling the already existing (taxi) cab drivers through the help of lawmakers and people in high offices.
“In 2014, as Uber sought to expand their business in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, an advisory firm helped the company compile lists of more than 1,850 “stakeholders” from different sectors it hoped to influence in 29 countries as well as representatives of European Union institutions,” leaked documents show.
The files include emails, text messages, company presentations and other documents from 2013 to 2017, showing how the firm barged into cities in defiance of local laws and regulations, weaseling out of paying taxes and seeking to subdue the taxi industry.
They show how Uber compiled a list of high-ranking allies including 758 politicians, and 590 public officials among others who could manipulate the policies in its favour.
Uber files also show how the taxi firm's ex-boss personally ordered the use of a "kill switch" to prevent police officers from accessing computers during a raid.
The company used presidents including France’s President Emanuel Macron to smooth things out in new territories, Russian oligarchs linked to President Vladimir Putin or Russia and the US head of state Joe Biden.
Uber entered the Tanzanian market in 2016, and has since suspended operations due to failure to agree with local authorities over new rates
