1. Uber Breaks Laws
The company appears to constantly disregard laws. It has amassed an astounding array of fines as a result: $20 million for misleading "prospective drivers with exaggerated earnings claims and claims about financing through its Vehicle Solutions Program" to the Federal Trade Commission, $11.4 million in Pennsylvania for operating without approval, $7.3 million by California for failing to provide mandatory data to the state's Public Utility Commission.
According to a story in The Guardian published in April 2016, the company has been ordered to pay a total of $161.9 million in fines and legal settlements since 2009.
2. Uber Strong-Arms Cities
One clear-cut example of this was in Portland, Oregon, where Uber launched without even notifying the mayor. The company then hired 10 lobbyists who became "a constant force in City Hall," pushing for friendly-regulations, Bloomberg reported, adding, "City officials say they'd never seen anything on this scale."
In New York City, New York, the company used the app as a weapon against Mayor Bill de Blasio. Wired reported that the company added a mock "de Blasio" feature that showed that there were no cars available along with the message, "This is what Uber will look like in NYC if Mayor de Blasio's Uber cap bill passes."
A few cities, including Austin, Texas, and Tokyo, Japan, have stood up successfully to Uber, though in the case of Japan, Uber set its sights on small towns instead.
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