Confidential information amounting to 124,000 files, was recently leaked to the Guardian, the contents of which reveal how Uber consistently dodged the law, lobbied governments, exploited their drivers, and hoodwinked the police in the pursuit of international expansion.
The documents known as Uber files are an amalgamation of communication between ex-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and upper management executives between 2013 and 2017, including about 83,000 emails and messages.
The information spans from a time when Kalanick was active and persistent about introducing Uber’s cab facilities into cities across the world at the cost of breaking laws and taxi regulations imposed by said cities.
Essentially, the messages suggest that established businesses, local laws, and public transportation regulations were overlooked in one way or another all in the name of business expansion.
Perhaps the most incriminating evidence from all the leaked information is the fact that Uber as an organization is quite aware of just how illegal its activities were. The exchanges between upper executives where they adamantly assert the fact that though their decisions were ethically unsound, but were necessary for the business, is alarming to say the least.
Notable government officials who were mentioned in the Uber files were German chancellor Olaf Scholz and U.S. President Joe Biden, with evidence of messages being exchanged between Kalanick and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Guardian has already shared the Uber files with other major media organizations across the world through the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
At the time of writing, at least forty more media outlets, including The Washington Post and BBC are set to publish their own investigative reports about this very controversial case over the next few days.