back to article Uber sued after digging up medical records of woman raped by driver

Adding to its litany of disasters, Uber, CEO Travis Kalanick, and former executives Emil Michael and Eric Alexander were sued on Thursday for privacy violations and defamation by the unnamed woman raped in 2014 by an Uber driver in India. Chiding Uber for a work environment that prioritizes competitiveness over people, …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just close them down.

    Take all their bosses money.

    This goes beyond the pale. Are there no depths that this [redacted] [redacted] ... [redacted] won't stoop to?

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
      Mushroom

      Re: Just close them down.

      Take off and nuke them from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

      Although one does worry that Uber execs are so like cockroaches, that they might even survive that...

      1. MJI Silver badge

        Re: Just close them down.

        Or like Richard Hammond

  2. hellwig

    Not that outlandish

    "while privately speculating, as outlandish as it is, that she had colluded with a rival company to harm Uber's business."

    With everything else Uber has done (even to government and law enforcement agencies), you know they've considered falsely accusing Lyft drivers of rape. They probably speculated in this case that a competitor had gotten hold of their "How to be Uber" playbook.

  3. sjsmoto

    Uber should be required to show, on their app, where their former and current executives are at all times so you can go up to them and kick them in the ass.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "Uber should be required to show, on their app, where their former and current executives are at all times so you can go up to them and kick them in the ass."

      Reminds me of the SCO case, when someone was posting on /. to let people know when Darl McBride was in the office.

    2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      No, no, no! Uber execs need regular kickings in the bollocks.

  4. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    Asked to comment, a Uber spokesperson said: "No one should have to go through a horrific experience like this, and we're truly sorry that she's had to relive it over the last few weeks."

    They then said "That's enough about us? Do you want a comment on the rape rictim?".

  5. vir

    Travis 2.0

    Let's hope that remains vaporware.

    1. MyffyW Silver badge

      Re: Travis 2.0

      Oh wait, wait .... I know this one.... is this where he gets a regular 9-5 job, has to make ends meet on a limited budget and behave like a normal member of society?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I thought it was a bro-culture thing

    But it turns out that Michael and Alexander are both last names.

    Had me scratching my head for a moment.

  7. John Savard

    Odd

    Obtained medical records? Why isn't he being extradited to India for criminal prosecution there?

    1. Gordon Pryra

      Re: Odd

      "Why isn't he being extradited to India?"

      That only works in reverse

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Odd

      Because I would like to know if India is investigating and prosecuting those who sold the information. But I have a feeling they aren't doing it...

    3. gnasher729 Silver badge

      Re: Odd

      The idea is that in the USA, fines or damage payments will be much higher than an India. From the point of view of the poor woman who was first raped and then had her health records stolen, if you give her the choice of the Uber CEO going to jail in India for 30 years, or getting millions in compensation in the USA, she will probably choose the compensation.

  8. Winkypop Silver badge
    FAIL

    Übermensch?

    No, Über mess

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What's the company motto? "Be Evil"?

    Odious firm who I will never use as long as I live.

    You do have to question the logic here though, it's clear that the crime took place so obtaining medical records isn't going to help you unless you can use them as leverage against the person and then you get to a whole new level of wrong.

    How low can this company go? Will they program their self driving cars to run over kids? Who knows with these shitheads. I hope Uber dies a fiery death at some point.

    1. Korev Silver badge
      Mushroom

      In the past lawyers have tried to use mental health problems to discredit a victim's testimony or suggested that a victim being promiscuous meant she consented; it's possible that they were looking for that kind of information.

      What should happen to the men and women who do the above ->

  10. VulcanV5

    Short short

    I always thought Uber had been set up in order for its stock to be shorted. I can't think of any other explanation for a pattern of corporate disasters that would adversely impact a disgusting enterprise run in disgusting style. One or two, maybe even three, disasters could be accidental. But a seemingly unending series of them?? The ludicrously valued $68 beeellion Uber gives every appearance of this being all programmed in.

  11. Aladdin Sane

    Uber's done something shady and/or illegal.

    The day must end in a y

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Devil

    Corporate Image

    "Toxic trash taxi biz"... Must give them a warm fuzzy feeling hearing themselves being described as such...

  13. Alistair
    Joke

    But But But but ....

    We're disrupting the global taxi oligopoly!! Those horrible operations that charge SO MUCH for taxis services in all these cities where they own the politicians and prevent competition and REGULATE things!!!! We're DisRupTive!

    /sarc

    OR:

    " Hey, lets write an app, distribute it, sucker people into working for us for next to nothing, and then charge idiots as much as we can get away with for taxi services. And when the law comes after us, we just tell 'em we're a *platform* not a taxi company, and we can dodge *ALL* the taxi laws!"

    1. P. Lee

      Re: But But But but ....

      While I agree Uber is a nasty company, I'd be surprised if any other largish company wouldn't hire investigators to track down *anything* they could use to compromise a case against them. They just wouldn't be so dumb as to do it themselves.

      This has everything to do with normal corporate culture and nothing to do with the taxi business.

  14. A Nonny Moose

    Travis 2.0

    Hopefully it involves a complete rewrite, and not just a series of patches on the buggy base code

  15. Androgynous Cupboard Silver badge

    It also claims that, in an effort to discredit the woman, Alexander went to Delhi and managed to obtain her private medical records.

    I find this the most bizarre part, if true. Forget Uber: what could motivate an individual to do this? Where was the moment he paused for a minute and though "no, this is probably the wrong thing to do". I hope he was exactly 100% convinced she was lying, because even at 99.9% a little warning bell should have triggered that he was about to do something he wasn't going to feel good about.

    I'm sure Mr Alexander isn't actually a psychopath, but there's at least a trace of psychopathy here, surely?

  16. enormous c word

    Toxic?

    Could Uber possibly be the most Toxic company ever? I'm expecting to read a story about them crash testing their autonomous vehicles using babies from the 3rd world. Or perhaps decorating the offices with kitten skin rugs...

  17. TVU Silver badge

    I think Uber can be summed up in one word: disreputable

    1. nautica Silver badge
      Megaphone

      Not even close...

      Wrong word.

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