Explainer · case D05 · 60 seconds
01 / 08 · Setup
UBER IN PORTLAND.
where it was banned
02 / 08 · Tension
BANNED ? OPERATING.
thanks to Greyball
03 / 08 · Reveal
GREYBALL
internal tool to identify and block regulators
04 / 08 · Mechanism
suspect = regulator → fake app, no drivers
User
opens Uber
Backend
geofence + pattern → fake UI
tagged: police stations, city hall, prepaid, usage patterns
05 / 08 · Scale
10+ CITIES. CONTINUOUS COVER-UP.
Portland
Paris · Boston · Phila
AU · KR
China · Vegas
DOJ
criminal investigation
06 / 08 · Exposure
MARCH 2017
Mike Isaac
New York Times
former staff
anonymous sources
Travis Kalanick
CEO · steps down 2017
one of many Uber scandals in 2017
07 / 08 · Consequence
DOJ
criminal investigation ongoing
Travis Kalanick steps down 2017 (Greyball one of many factors). Uber: zero greyballing of regulators. Portland: token penalty.
08 / 08
GREYBALL
A program built to hide not from customers. From the state.
Case D05 in Big Tech Files.