A privacy rights organization lashed out against Uber on Monday, accusing the country’s largest ride-sharing company of plans to deceptively collect personal data under an updated privacy policy slated to roll out next month. In a 23-page complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission, the Electronic Privacy Information Center called for the agency to investigate Uber and halt possible privacy invasions ahead of a revised policy set to take effect July 15. “Uber’s revised privacy policy creates several risks for American consumers,” said EPIC in its complaint. But Uber said in a statement that the complaint has “no basis” and that users would “be in control” of how they release personal information. “Our new privacy statements are much simpler to read and set out more clearly the data we collect, as well as how we use it,” the company said. The biggest concern for EPIC, a Washington D.C.-based research center, is that Uber will collect location data from passengers even after they arrive at their destinations, as the Uber app can track GPS data if left running in the background of an iPhone, or other iOS device. Even users who turn off their GPS location finder could still be found through their phone IP address, which the privacy policy says offers a “unique identifier” for each user. EPIC also claims that Uber will be able to access passenger’s contact lists, which it could use to send out promotional ads. Such practices would not comprise new parts of the privacy policy. Rather, they are existing data collection possibilities that have come under scrutiny after Uber revised its policy May 28, with the intent, it said, to be jargon-free and clear to readers. But exacerbating the possibility of privacy invasion, said EPIC, is that Uber could abuse its users’ trust. According to EPIC, Uber tracked the location of journalists reporting on the company who had used its app, and one employee shared that data within the company. Other employees had turned on “God View,” an internal program, to track customers without their knowledge. Uber has acknowledged that it could potentially track location data and contact lists as it launches new features on the app, but said it would do so only with the permission of users. Whether that would be through opting-in or opting-out has yet to be seen. For now, Uber said it does not plan to begin either practice on July 15. “Users will be in control: they will be able to choose whether to share the data with Uber,” the company said in a statement. The FTC could not be reached Monday, and has not publicly stated how it plans to address the complaint. Twitter: @dainabethcita ALSO Uber reportedly nears 1 million rides a day in China Uber’s latest training and recruitment tool is a video game California labor regulators blast a big hole in Uber’s ‘sharing economy’ dodge
Campaigners at the Electronic Privacy Information Centre ( EPIC ) has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against visa 's controversial plans to track customers online even when they are not using the service and their contact lists . The organisation claim it threatens the privacy rights of Americans and will cause a direct risk of consumer fraud as drivers are able to collect the location of their passengers once they have arrived at their destinations even if the customer turns off his / her email location due its unique IP address , a significant piece of equipment to tracking the right Uber user . Uber also has plans to access User 's address books and collect names and contact information . The company claims the changes were installed to launch new promotional features that use contacts such a recommending family and friends as well as helping aid fare sharing tools . Uber 's head of travel Katherine Tassi said in a statement , ' We care deeply about the privacy of our riders and drivers ' and assures that the date is only shared out once given the green flag to do so . Providing the complaint is n't taken further , Uber can expect the changes to be implemented on 15th July .