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Uber Hit With Complaint Over Privacy Policy

2 min read

Uber Technologies Inc. is facing a challenge to its new privacy policy, which takes effect July 15.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission late last month, arguing that the policy “will claim the right to collect personal contact information and detailed location data of American consumers, even when they are not using the service.”

Uber users hail cars by calling up the app and summoning drivers in the area by allowing the app to access their location. But EPIC argues that even if GPS location services were disabled on the user’s phone, the new privacy policy would allow the company to track the user’s location using his IP address.

“This collection of users’ information far exceeds what customers expect from the transportation service,” EPIC wrote in the complaint.

You might recall that Uber operates in Little Rock and Fayetteville with a fleet of contract drivers in both cities. Rides in Little Rock last week had a base fare of $2, a per-minute cost of 18 cents and a per-mile cost of $1.35. Fayetteville’s base fare was $2.50, with a per-minute cost of 20 cents and a per-mile cost of $1.65.

In a statement released to Arkansas Business, the company said, “There is no basis for this complaint.”

“Our new privacy statements are much simpler to read and set out more clearly the data we collect, as well as how we use it. That is a significant improvement for riders and driver-partners. In our announcement we were also transparent about what new data we might collect going forward — and the fact that users will be in control.”

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