Travis is to Uber as Ross Ulbricht is to Silk Road (but for transportation). Both made a practical business innovation but crossed a sensitive line and so they

Travis is to Uber as Ross Ulbricht is to Silk Road (but for transportation). Both made a practical business innovation but crossed a sensitive line and so they were attacked/penalized for it. But the cat is already out of the bag; the idea and technology to fulfill their goals cannot be stopped. In that sense, attacking an individual innovator is futile; at best it's a short term setback for the market they are trying to serve.