Uber Faces Ftc Lawsuit Over Unsolicited Subscriptions To Uber One

[KALE CAREY]

THE F-T-C IS SUING UBER.

ACCUSING THE RIDE-SHARE GIANT OF SIGNING UP SOME USERS FOR ITS PAID MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM, UBER ONE, WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION OR KNOWLEDGE,.

THE LAWSUIT FILED MONDAY, ALSO SAYS UBER VIOLATED THE F-T-C ACT AND RESTORE ONLINE SHOPPERS CONFIDENCE ACT, WHICH IMPLEMENTED CONSUMER PROTECTIONS, LIKE COMBATTING DECEPTIVE BILLING PRACTICES AND MANDATING EASY CANCELLATIONS DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

THE F-T-C SAYS UBER LIED TO USERS, TELLING THEM THEY’D SAVE AROUND 25 DOLLARS MONTH THROUGH UBER ONE AND CLAIMING IT’S EASY TO CANCEL.

THE LAWSUIT CONTENDS, UBER’S CLAIMS DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE MONTHLY COST OF MEMBERSHIP, WHICH RUNS AT NEARLY 10 DOLLARS A MONTH, AND SAYS ITS CANCELLATION POLICY IS ANYTHING BUT EASY.  

THE AGENCY SAYS SOME RIDERS WERE DIRECTED TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE TO CANCEL BUT WERE NEVER GIVEN A WAY TO CONTACT REPRESENTATIVES.

F-T-C CHAIRMAN ANDREW FERGUSON DECLARED IN A STATEMENT MONDAY, “AMERICANS ARE TIRED OF GETTING SIGNED UP FOR UNWANTED SUBSCRIPTIONS THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE TO CANCEL. THE TRUMP-VANCE F-T-C IS FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.”

UBER RESPONDED TO THE SUIT THROUGH A SPOKESPERSON. 

SAYING:

“WE ARE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE F-T-C CHOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ACTION, BUT ARE CONFIDENT THE COURTS WILL AGREE WITH WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW. UBER ONE’S SIGNUP IS CLEAR, SIMPLE, AND FOLLOWS THE LETTER AND SPIRIT OF THE LAW.”

THIS ISN’T THE FIRST LEGAL BATTLE UBER HAS BEEN IN WITH THE F-T-C, BUT IS THE FIRST UNDER TRUMP’S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 

THE LAWSUIT IS ALSO THE FIRST LEGAL ACTION THE F-T-C HAS TAKEN AGAINST A BIG TECH COMPANY SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK OFFICE IN JANUARY. 

UBER NOTABLY, DONATED ONE MILLION DOLLARS TO TRUMP’S INAUGURATION CAMPAIGN ALONG WITH COMPANIES LIKE AMAZON, GOOGLE AND META. 

THE F-T-C ALSO TOOK ON UBER IN 2017, ACCUSING THE RIDE SHARE OF LYING ABOUT PRIVACY AND DATA SECURITY SAFEGUARDS. IN 2018, THE RIDE HAIL SERVICE SETTLED WITH THE AGENCY FOR 20 MILLION DOLLARS OVER ACCUSATIONS IT INFLATED PROSPECTIVE EARNINGS FOR DRIVERS. UBER ALSO AVOIDED CRIMINAL CHARGES, SETTLING A LAWSUIT IN 2022, ACCUSING THE COMPANY OF FAILING TO TELL CUSTOMERS ABOUT A 2016 DATA BREACH, EXPOSING 57 MILLION USERS AND DRIVERS DATA.

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