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We have a tool for this -- the government asks for a subpoena from a judge to force Uber to provide their data. It's all out in the open and Uber can argue aga

We have a tool for this -- the government asks for a subpoena from a judge to force Uber to provide their data. It's all out in the open and Uber can argue against the subpoena if they choose. Scraping APIs with fake profiles isn't the right way to go about this.

j2kun 10y ago
I was under the impression it's illegal to intentionally mislead any federal employee, subpoena or not, in any communication whatsoever. Whether it's the "right" way or not, it seems like an API counts as a form of communication.
- philip1209 10y ago
  State laws are not enforced by federal officials though, correct?
  - sandworm101 10y ago
    No, but they can investigate where there is the possibility of conspiracies. Basically everything Uber does involves the flow of data across state lines and the feds can investigate otherwise state crimes that cross multiple states. This is what Uber needs to really worry about: "If two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both." https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/371 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/371
  - openasocket 10y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corru... RICO gives federal jurisdiction over cases of interstate entities committing obstruction of justice.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
verbify 10y ago
A subpoena is not the only way the government collects evidence of wrongdoing.
SilasX 10y ago
I assume this is a hedge against being fed fake data.
geofft 10y ago
A subpoena is one investigative tool. It is not the only investigative tool, and it's often not the best one. If a law enforcement agency wants to catch child predators, it is entirely legitimate for them to make fake profiles of children and see who responds, and it's going to be a lot more productive than sending subpoenas to the creepiest-looking people in town saying "Are you a child predator Y/N".

j2kun 10y ago

I was under the impression it's illegal to intentionally mislead any federal employee, subpoena or not, in any communication whatsoever. Whether it's the "right" way or not, it seems like an API counts as a form of communication.

philip1209 10y ago
State laws are not enforced by federal officials though, correct?
- sandworm101 10y ago
  No, but they can investigate where there is the possibility of conspiracies. Basically everything Uber does involves the flow of data across state lines and the feds can investigate otherwise state crimes that cross multiple states. This is what Uber needs to really worry about: "If two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both." https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/371 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/371
- openasocket 10y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corru... RICO gives federal jurisdiction over cases of interstate entities committing obstruction of justice.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

verbify 10y ago

A subpoena is not the only way the government collects evidence of wrongdoing.

SilasX 10y ago

I assume this is a hedge against being fed fake data.

geofft 10y ago

A subpoena is one investigative tool. It is not the only investigative tool, and it's often not the best one. If a law enforcement agency wants to catch child predators, it is entirely legitimate for them to make fake profiles of children and see who responds, and it's going to be a lot more productive than sending subpoenas to the creepiest-looking people in town saying "Are you a child predator Y/N".