Uber, fighting on multiple fronts in multiple countries, attempted this week to satisfy one critic, Sen. Al Franken.
The Minnesota Democrat wrote to the ride-sharing firm asking the company for information about its privacy policy and to answer to specific allegations about how it treats users personal data, as I wrote here.
In a letter, Katherine Tassi, Uber s managing counsel on privacy, told Franken that the firm only taps user data for legitimate business purposes, and that it would not use its information to spy on reporters,
The company defended God View, a visual map that offers a live snapshot of Uber drivers and requesting riders in one metro area.
Now, the tool is available to employees in certain departments such as operations, the company said. If God View is shown to third parties, employees are required to use presentation mode, which makes inaccessible riders personal data.
Uber also shed light on reports that an executive accessed a reporter s travel information.
Uber says the reporter, Johana Bhuiyan of BuzzFeed, was 30 minutes late for a meeting with the executive, Josh Mohrer, who wanted to meet her in the lobby. Uber said it has disciplined Mohrer, because the company concluded his judgment had been poor.
The Minnesota Democrat said he still has concerns, according to a statement provided to BuzzFeed,:
Above: Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. Photo by Jeffrey Thompson/Getty Images
