Uber CEO Apologizes over Controversial Report; Company Clears Up Privacy Policy
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick took to Twitter earlier today to apologize for that controversial BuzzFeed report in which executive Emil Michael said they should engage in a smear campaign against critical journalists.
Kalanick assured that the company does not actually believe these things, and apologized directly to journalist Sarah Lacy, who recently wrote about the sexist “asshole culture” at the company.
Here’s what Kalanick had to say:
1/ Emil's comments at the recent dinner party were terrible and do not represent the company.
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
2/ His remarks showed a lack of leadership, a lack of humanity, and a departure from our values and ideals
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
3/ His duties here at Uber do not involve communications strategy or plans and are not representative in any way of the company approach
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
4/ Instead, we should lead by inspiring our riders, our drivers and the public at large.
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
5/ We should tell the stories of progress and appeal to people’s hearts and minds
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
6/ We must be open and vulnerable enough to show people the positive principles that are the core of Uber’s culture
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
7/ We must tell the stories of progress Uber has brought to cities and show the our constituents that we are principled and mean well
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
8/ The burden is on us to show that, and until Emil’s comments we felt we were making positive steps along those lines
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
9/ But I will personally commit to our riders, partners and the public that we are up to the challenge
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
10/ We are up to the challenge to show that Uber is and will continue to be a positive member of the community
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
11/ And furthermore, I will do everything in my power towards the goal of earning that trust.
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
12/ I believe that folks who make mistakes can learn from them – myself included.
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
13/ and that also goes for Emil ..
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
13/ and last, I want to apologize to @sarahcuda
— travis kalanick (@travisk) November 18, 2014
And hours later, a new post popped up on Uber’s blog clarifying the company’s user privacy policy. And they want everyone to know that no Uber employee is allowed access to driver or user data except in “a limited set of legitimate business purposes” (like monitoring accounts for fraud and such).
Meanwhile, Lacy posted again today about how absolutely stunned and shocked she was to learn what Michael had said about her, and updated her post with an apology Michael sent her personally about his remarks:
Dear Sarah,
I wanted to apologize to you directly — I am sorry. I was at an event and was venting, but what I said was never intended to describe actions that would ever be undertaken by me or my company toward you or anyone else. I was definitively wrong and I feel terrible about any distress I have caused you. Again, I am sorry.
[image via 360b/Shutterstock]
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