Uber Has A Secret Program Called 'Greyball' It Uses To Evade Police

For years, Uber used a secretive software tool known internally as Greyball to identify and steer its drivers clear of potential threats including law enforcement officers hoping to catch Uber operating in their cities illegally.

UPDATE: March 9 Uber chief security officer Joe Sullivan announced late Wednesday that the company is reviewing its use of greyballing technology and expressly prohibiting its use to target action by local regulators going forward.

Earlier:

According to The New York Times , which first reported the story, the company deployed the software in cities that deemed the ride-hailing service illegal or otherwise tried to slow the companys rapid expansion.

The Times reports that Ubers software clues into a number of signs from prospective riders to determine whether they might pose a threat to the company or its drivers, notably in the form of enforcement officers trying to catch Uber operating illegally.

This includes the riders behavior using the app itself, such as the phone type, and patterns in the frequency of its use. Another clear tell: interacting with the app in close proximity to police stations and other government buildings.

In 2014, for instance, officials in Portland, Oregon, sued Uber for operating in the city illegally, and promised to hit every driver caught working for the service with a fine of up to $3,750.

The threat accomplished little, as Uber continued operating anyway. Portland officers pushed forward with sting operations in an attempt to catch the unlicensed operators, yet were stymied as drivers repeatedly canceled their rides, as this 2014 video by The Oregonian demonstrates:

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