8 ms·

Uber executive, who obtained medical records of customer rape victim, is fired

124 points by coloneltcb 9y ago

sp332 9y ago
This doesn't really confirm whether he was fired or was allowed to quit. Or maybe just switched companies? Edit: his LinkedIn still says he works there, so whatever change was probably pretty recent.
- 5706906c06c 9y ago
  LinkedIn has never been a credible source for anything.
  - sp332 9y ago
    It depends on the person maintaining it. This one seems complete and up to date, so if he had started at a new company he probably would update it promptly.
  - samstave 9y ago
    So now my resume is invalid?!?!?!?!
- philip1209 9y ago
  The article implies that he was let go after yesterday's firing of 20 employees [1], and that this article triggered the response, so it probably happened today. [1] http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tn-uber-sexual-harassment-20170606-story.html http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tn-uber-sexual-harassm...
kevinburke 9y ago
To summarize: An Uber rider in India alleged she was raped by an Uber driver. The driver was already awaiting trial for four other criminal offenses, and was ultimately convicted of the crime. An Uber executive (Eric Alexander) flew to India and (legally or illegally) obtained her medical records, then showed these to multiple executives at the company. These records were then used by Alexander, Travis Kalanick, and Emil Michael to dispute (internally) the woman's account of the story. They claimed that a local competitor was trying to sabotage them by planting this story, which again, involves an Uber customer being raped by a driver facing multiple (other) criminal accusations. Needless to say they lack the training necessary to decipher a medical record, a rape may or may not have left evidence present in that record, and it's a gross violation of customer privacy, business ethics, and (probably) the law. This is repulsive conduct and it's unbelievable any of these people are still attached to the company.
- bjl 9y ago
  At this point (and really, long before this point) any ethical engineer would have left this company. Those remaining are tacitly condoning this type of activity, and should take a long hard look at their priorities.
  - antjanus 9y ago
    That's pretty much what I'm thinking. Leave the company, stop using it, and fuck everything else. I realize that leaving a job isn't easy but an engineer that makes it to Uber is probably more than capable jumping ship.
    - bjl 9y ago
      > I realize that leaving a job isn't easy but an engineer that makes it to Uber is probably more than capable jumping ship. Who knows how long that will be the case. Nowadays, I imagine a prolonged employment at Uber is a serious black mark on a resume.
  - employee8000 9y ago
    No, this is bullshit. Since I joined, Uber has been behaving very ethically. Yes, there have been problems, which are mainly with unchecked culture in some groups, but I think things have turned around for the entire company. There have been major issues with a very aggressive culture but unlike most other companies, the management is really trying to change things. We will see if any differences are really made but I'm optimistic. All you hear about from the media is the shitty things from the past, but if you had visibility into the great things that uber does that I see every day, you would think differently. Case in point, the new exec from Apple and the Harvard business professor who both joined this week. They have complete clarity into what kind of company Uber is right now, and they both joined. Yes, Uber has made mistakes in the past, but since 2015 I think it has really grown up. It has issues just like any other large company but unlike other companies, they have aired their dirty laundry and is at least trying to change. I have no qualms with working for Uber and i have no trouble with my ethics or morals working here. If someone has a bigoted view on Uber or Uber employees without knowing all the facts, then I have no issues never working for or with them, because they probably have other unchecked bigoted views as well, and would probably be terrible to work with.
nxsynonym 9y ago
at what point is it safe to say the best option for Uber is to burn to the ground and re-build?
- ivanbakel 9y ago
  I'd say likely never. The company should be dismantled in its current state, to be sure, but very little is worth keeping for a rebuild. The kind of corporate culture that encourages and permits this and other scandals, that Uber cannot seem to stop having, is not worth preserving. Let the market fall to its competitors - the entry barrier isn't particularly high at this point anyways.
- fosk 9y ago
  Despite the negative press Uber is growing, revenue is growing, and the average Joe doesn't really care about any of this as long as his ride to work still costs less than a taxi.
  - glitcher 9y ago
    Yes many people don't care, and I have also noticed many people aren't even aware of any the Uber negative press. And usually after I bring it up, they still don't care. One thing I find interesting to consider is how "uber" succeeded in becoming a verb in popular language similar to how "google it" is the equivalent of saying perform an Internet search. Once something gets ingrained in language like this I feel like it affects us psychologically - the average Joe can still choose between Uber/Lyft/xyz, but it's so easy to forget the competitors' names when other people are using language like "uber over here and meet me".
kafkaesq 9y ago
The executive in question, Eric Alexander, the president of business in the Asia Pacific, then showed the medical records to Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and SVP Emil Michael. At least the article makes it clear who needs to be fired next -- for both not immediately firing Alexander for gross misconduct, and (just as egregiously) not adamantly refusing to even consider looking at a rape victim's private medicate records in the first place. Nevermind the legal and criminal implications of that latter misstep; this is a matter of pure and simple human dignity.
phreack 9y ago
Worst is, the executive should have been fired on the spot as his actions were not only unethical but possibly illegal. Instead he paraded them around for at least a year sharing them, which makes the whole executive tier basically complicit. It's practically impossible for Uber's core to be fixed at this point it seems.
alphonsegaston 9y ago
If this doesn't convince those doubtful about the depth of depravity among Uber's top leadership, I honestly don't know what will. Can you imagine the scene? Kalanick and pals in some luxurious office, discussing strategy over the medical records of a rape victim?
HarryHirsch 9y ago
Eric Alexander, the president of business in the Asia Pacific, then showed the medical records to Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and SVP Emil Michael In short, it's a tone-at-the-top problem, these things are always tone-at-the-top problems. Why is upper leadership still there?
- toomuchtodo 9y ago
  Apathetic board/investors.
forgottenpass 9y ago
An Uber exec files to India to dig up dirt, we know they were buying email-mined data from unroll.me, and frequently monitored travel of journos, famous people and one night stands. They have a culture of digging up as much dirt on passengers as possible. I wonder what else they are still collecting (or quietly stopped), and what they're using it for, that doesn't have the explosive headline potential of medical confidentiality and sex crimes?
AngeloAnolin 9y ago
Trying to further understand, I am unsure why a top Uber executive would need to obtain an actual medical record of a customer who was assaulted in her Uber ride? I can't see what value the medical record would bring for Uber as a company, which in the likelihood will contain medical terminology, that substantiates whether the incident occurred or not. Wouldn't their lawyers be involved with the proceedings, as the likelihood that the company would be included in the trial can be deemed possible as the incident happened in the confines of the business that revolves around them? On a side note as well, will the names of the people fired be published? Will these people fired be actually penalized, or would they simply be hired with another company and simply move on from the incident?
- UK-AL 9y ago
  My guess is that wanted to get evidence to know if this was real or a plot by local taxi companies. Having heard about business in India, bribes and plots to cause harm to your rivals, are the normal course of business. This is a terrible way of dealing with it, but I absolutely get it. Uber just doesn't have any finesse about dealing with local politics and PR. They just seem to brute force everything. The idea and execution with uber has been great. They seem to be terrible with everything else.
  - urbanj 9y ago
    > Having heard about business in India, bribes and plots to cause harm to your rivals, are the normal course of business. > This is a terrible way of dealing with it, but I absolutely get it. Oh, what have you heard about business in India, Alastair Gould. I think that really does need a citation. Oh yeah, I forgot I'm shadowbanned, Although, at least I'm not a racist fuck, right Al?
  - vkou 9y ago
    Bribes may be the way to do business in country _____. Despite that, if you are an American corporation, and your operation in country _____ involve bribes, you have broken the law. More specifically, you have broken American law.
johan_larson 9y ago
Uber drivers pick up and drive paying passengers. Doing so is against local laws or regulations governing taxi services. Uber runs a service that enables and encourages this activity on a large scale. How does that not add up to criminal conspiracy or something similar? Serious question.
s73ver 9y ago
So at what point does society get to determine Uber no longer deserves to be a company?

124 points by coloneltcb 9y ago

This doesn't really confirm whether he was fired or was allowed to quit. Or maybe just switched companies? Edit: his LinkedIn still says he works there, so whatever change was probably pretty recent.

5706906c06c 9y ago
LinkedIn has never been a credible source for anything.
- sp332 9y ago
  It depends on the person maintaining it. This one seems complete and up to date, so if he had started at a new company he probably would update it promptly.
- samstave 9y ago
  So now my resume is invalid?!?!?!?!
philip1209 9y ago
The article implies that he was let go after yesterday's firing of 20 employees [1], and that this article triggered the response, so it probably happened today. [1] http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tn-uber-sexual-harassment-20170606-story.html http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tn-uber-sexual-harassm...

kevinburke 9y ago

To summarize: An Uber rider in India alleged she was raped by an Uber driver. The driver was already awaiting trial for four other criminal offenses, and was ultimately convicted of the crime. An Uber executive (Eric Alexander) flew to India and (legally or illegally) obtained her medical records, then showed these to multiple executives at the company. These records were then used by Alexander, Travis Kalanick, and Emil Michael to dispute (internally) the woman's account of the story. They claimed that a local competitor was trying to sabotage them by planting this story, which again, involves an Uber customer being raped by a driver facing multiple (other) criminal accusations. Needless to say they lack the training necessary to decipher a medical record, a rape may or may not have left evidence present in that record, and it's a gross violation of customer privacy, business ethics, and (probably) the law. This is repulsive conduct and it's unbelievable any of these people are still attached to the company.

bjl 9y ago
At this point (and really, long before this point) any ethical engineer would have left this company. Those remaining are tacitly condoning this type of activity, and should take a long hard look at their priorities.
- antjanus 9y ago
  That's pretty much what I'm thinking. Leave the company, stop using it, and fuck everything else. I realize that leaving a job isn't easy but an engineer that makes it to Uber is probably more than capable jumping ship.
  - bjl 9y ago
    > I realize that leaving a job isn't easy but an engineer that makes it to Uber is probably more than capable jumping ship. Who knows how long that will be the case. Nowadays, I imagine a prolonged employment at Uber is a serious black mark on a resume.
- employee8000 9y ago
  No, this is bullshit. Since I joined, Uber has been behaving very ethically. Yes, there have been problems, which are mainly with unchecked culture in some groups, but I think things have turned around for the entire company. There have been major issues with a very aggressive culture but unlike most other companies, the management is really trying to change things. We will see if any differences are really made but I'm optimistic. All you hear about from the media is the shitty things from the past, but if you had visibility into the great things that uber does that I see every day, you would think differently. Case in point, the new exec from Apple and the Harvard business professor who both joined this week. They have complete clarity into what kind of company Uber is right now, and they both joined. Yes, Uber has made mistakes in the past, but since 2015 I think it has really grown up. It has issues just like any other large company but unlike other companies, they have aired their dirty laundry and is at least trying to change. I have no qualms with working for Uber and i have no trouble with my ethics or morals working here. If someone has a bigoted view on Uber or Uber employees without knowing all the facts, then I have no issues never working for or with them, because they probably have other unchecked bigoted views as well, and would probably be terrible to work with.

nxsynonym 9y ago

at what point is it safe to say the best option for Uber is to burn to the ground and re-build?

ivanbakel 9y ago
I'd say likely never. The company should be dismantled in its current state, to be sure, but very little is worth keeping for a rebuild. The kind of corporate culture that encourages and permits this and other scandals, that Uber cannot seem to stop having, is not worth preserving. Let the market fall to its competitors - the entry barrier isn't particularly high at this point anyways.
fosk 9y ago
Despite the negative press Uber is growing, revenue is growing, and the average Joe doesn't really care about any of this as long as his ride to work still costs less than a taxi.
- glitcher 9y ago
  Yes many people don't care, and I have also noticed many people aren't even aware of any the Uber negative press. And usually after I bring it up, they still don't care. One thing I find interesting to consider is how "uber" succeeded in becoming a verb in popular language similar to how "google it" is the equivalent of saying perform an Internet search. Once something gets ingrained in language like this I feel like it affects us psychologically - the average Joe can still choose between Uber/Lyft/xyz, but it's so easy to forget the competitors' names when other people are using language like "uber over here and meet me".

kafkaesq 9y ago

The executive in question, Eric Alexander, the president of business in the Asia Pacific, then showed the medical records to Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and SVP Emil Michael. At least the article makes it clear who needs to be fired next -- for both not immediately firing Alexander for gross misconduct, and (just as egregiously) not adamantly refusing to even consider looking at a rape victim's private medicate records in the first place. Nevermind the legal and criminal implications of that latter misstep; this is a matter of pure and simple human dignity.

phreack 9y ago

Worst is, the executive should have been fired on the spot as his actions were not only unethical but possibly illegal. Instead he paraded them around for at least a year sharing them, which makes the whole executive tier basically complicit. It's practically impossible for Uber's core to be fixed at this point it seems.

alphonsegaston 9y ago

If this doesn't convince those doubtful about the depth of depravity among Uber's top leadership, I honestly don't know what will. Can you imagine the scene? Kalanick and pals in some luxurious office, discussing strategy over the medical records of a rape victim?

HarryHirsch 9y ago

Eric Alexander, the president of business in the Asia Pacific, then showed the medical records to Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and SVP Emil Michael In short, it's a tone-at-the-top problem, these things are always tone-at-the-top problems. Why is upper leadership still there?

toomuchtodo 9y ago
Apathetic board/investors.

forgottenpass 9y ago

An Uber exec files to India to dig up dirt, we know they were buying email-mined data from unroll.me, and frequently monitored travel of journos, famous people and one night stands. They have a culture of digging up as much dirt on passengers as possible. I wonder what else they are still collecting (or quietly stopped), and what they're using it for, that doesn't have the explosive headline potential of medical confidentiality and sex crimes?

AngeloAnolin 9y ago

Trying to further understand, I am unsure why a top Uber executive would need to obtain an actual medical record of a customer who was assaulted in her Uber ride? I can't see what value the medical record would bring for Uber as a company, which in the likelihood will contain medical terminology, that substantiates whether the incident occurred or not. Wouldn't their lawyers be involved with the proceedings, as the likelihood that the company would be included in the trial can be deemed possible as the incident happened in the confines of the business that revolves around them? On a side note as well, will the names of the people fired be published? Will these people fired be actually penalized, or would they simply be hired with another company and simply move on from the incident?

UK-AL 9y ago
My guess is that wanted to get evidence to know if this was real or a plot by local taxi companies. Having heard about business in India, bribes and plots to cause harm to your rivals, are the normal course of business. This is a terrible way of dealing with it, but I absolutely get it. Uber just doesn't have any finesse about dealing with local politics and PR. They just seem to brute force everything. The idea and execution with uber has been great. They seem to be terrible with everything else.
- urbanj 9y ago
  > Having heard about business in India, bribes and plots to cause harm to your rivals, are the normal course of business. > This is a terrible way of dealing with it, but I absolutely get it. Oh, what have you heard about business in India, Alastair Gould. I think that really does need a citation. Oh yeah, I forgot I'm shadowbanned, Although, at least I'm not a racist fuck, right Al?
- vkou 9y ago
  Bribes may be the way to do business in country _____. Despite that, if you are an American corporation, and your operation in country _____ involve bribes, you have broken the law. More specifically, you have broken American law.

johan_larson 9y ago

Uber drivers pick up and drive paying passengers. Doing so is against local laws or regulations governing taxi services. Uber runs a service that enables and encourages this activity on a large scale. How does that not add up to criminal conspiracy or something similar? Serious question.

s73ver 9y ago

So at what point does society get to determine Uber no longer deserves to be a company?