Lyft Investigates Claim That Employees Improperly Accessed Customer Data
Uber isn’t the only ride-sharing company that spies on customers, apparently.
Uber has been widely accused of spying on both customers and its own drivers, but now rival Lyft faces similar allegations. The company told The Information that it is investigating a claim that employees improperly accessed customer data.
The investigation was launched in response to an anonymous tip by a current or former Lyft employee. This person claimed that Lyft employees were using software to track where current or former significant others were requesting rides, as well as tracking "attractive people" they encountered on shared Lyft Line rides.
The anonymous person also claimed that an employee bragged about finding Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's phone number through Lyft data. Other employees said they had collected information on "Hollywood actresses and porn stars," the person said.
Following the initial report, a Lyft spokesperson told The Verge that the company is "conducting an investigation into the matter."
If the allegations prove true, they could be a major black eye for Lyft. As Uber has struggled with multiple scandals over the past year, Lyft has attempted to portray itself as a morally-upright alternative. Uber has been accused of using software called "God View" to track individual people, and the FBI is currently investigating software called "Hell" that was allegedly used to track drivers who worked for both Uber and Lyft.