Uber and Lyft in-app messages urging riders and drivers to vote for Prop 22 could set a precedent for how companies use tech to lobby for political outcomes
The apps told California voters to vote yes on Proposition 22. And the voters listened. — Uber and Lyft spent over $200 million …
The Verge Andrew J. Hawkins
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Discussion
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@dlberes
@dlberes
on x
Impossible to overstate the impact of this, I think. It's like asking a smoker to vote on whether they'd like another cigarette. Regardless of your feelings on Prop 22, it might be time to reckon with in-app electioneering... do we really want this? https://www.theverge.com/...
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@techwontsaveus
@techwontsaveus
on x
“The gig companies' digital reach and their use of in-app messages to reach voters was unique, setting it apart from ballot fights of the past ... Uber and Lyft's use of their apps to push a political message may be legal, but it still felt improper” https://www.theverge.com/...
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@jwjnational
Jobs With Justice
on x
Uber & Lyft had a powerful weapon in the #Prop22 fight—their apps Without getting consent, Uber & Lyft collected user data and used it for their own political purposes @SmileyJWJ sat down w/the @verge to talk about how this sets a dangerous precedent 👉 https://www.theverge.com/..…
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@lhfang
Lee Fang
on x
Uber & Lyft won Prop 22 in a landslide not only by paying the California NAACP President for an endorsement that appeared in TV ads aimed at Democratic leaning voters, but paid off Latino and Asian civil rights orgs for hyper targeted outreach across the state.
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@nabeel
Nabeel Hyatt
on x
CA voters did not side with big tech companies, they don't care. Voters sided with drivers, who overwhelmingly wanted flexibility of work over an overly prescriptive AB5 bill. Gig work is not 1099 or full time, it needs different protections. Hopefully other states get there. htt…
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@carnage4life
Dare Obasanjo
on x
California's #AB5 has been a case study in bad lawmaking. Intended to target Uber & Lyft, it ended up penalizing all freelance work. Various industries then lobbied for exemptions and now Uber & Lyft exempted as well via ballot initiative. What a 🤡 show. https://www.bloomberg.com…
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@nytimes
@nytimes
on x
California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 22, a ballot measure that allows gig economy companies like Uber and Lyft to keep treating drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. The victory could help remake U.S. labor laws. https://www.nytimes.com/...
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@molly_knight
Molly Knight
on x
These companies lied in their ads and made it seem like a YES vote was FOR labor and against corporations. So many people cast votes thinking they were protecting workers. https://twitter.com/...
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@briebriejoy
BJG
on x
We need to have an accountability moment with Black political leadership. It's long overdue. https://twitter.com/...
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@mattdpearce
Matt Pearce
on x
$200 million bucks to rewrite some labor laws is a modest investment in the grand scheme of things. https://twitter.com/...
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@jason_koebler
Jason Koebler
on x
Disastrously unprofitable, inhumane companies bought a disastrous law in California https://www.vice.com/...
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@random_walker
Arvind Narayanan
on x
Uber, Lyft, etc. now exempt from treating workers as employees. Regardless of merits, the campaign was full of dark patterns & worker coercion. An amazing perversion of democracy and a reminder that tech platforms are the most powerful entities in the U.S. https://www.kqed.org/..…
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@matthewstoller
Matt Stoller
on x
Demographics is destiny or something https://twitter.com/...
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@mikeisaac
Rat King
on x
For Uber, Lyft and Doordash, a $200 million advertising blitz well spent. The contractor model they popularized is here to stay. @kateconger with the details on why if you live in CA, your mailbox has been stuffed with “yes on 22” flyers for weeks https://www.nytimes.com/...
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@zephyrteachout
Zephyr Teachout
on x
The biggest antitrust issue on the ballot in the country is Prop 22. Uber/Lyft Monopolists want full rights to drive drivers into the ground, extract all the profits, push them past their limits, refuse to acknowledge them, deny healthcare. No on 22. NO ON 22.
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@sreekyshooter
Sreekar
on x
It's not shocking but prop 22 likely passing is still a brutal punch to the gut. I can't overestimate what a horrific precedent it is that we let Uber and Lyft buy their own labor laws with $200 million worth of blatantly misleading advertising
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@karpmj
@karpmj
on x
The tech companies spent more money on Prop 22 in California than Bernie raised in the entire 2020 cycle, nationally https://twitter.com/...
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@bigblackjacobin
@bigblackjacobin
on x
Prop 22 is a huge victory for gig companies IN CALIFORNIA. It does nothing to fix a doomed business, the myriad of serious legal challenges across the world, or the social unrest caused by gig company platforms and their exploitation. https://www.vice.com/...
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@techwontsaveus
@techwontsaveus
on x
A huge win for companies whose whole business model is premised on decimating workers' rights. A massive loss for Uber drivers, Instacart shoppers, food couriers, and other gig workers. Now we have to stop #Prop22 from being replicated in other jurisdictions. https://twitter.com/…
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@alexnpress
Alex Press
on x
Prop 22 results are the real nightmare tonight
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@nitashatiku
Nitasha Tiku
on x
58% in favor of Prop 22 Shares of Uber & Lyft jumped 15-18% at open Jerome Gage, a volunteer spox for No on 22: It's misleading to refer to gig companies as “supporters” of the ballot initiative. “They are the authors. They decided what was in it.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/…
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@nycjim
Jim Roberts
on x
Uber and Lyft Drivers in California Will Remain Independent ... which means that the company won't have to pay for health care, unemployment insurance and other benefits. https://www.nytimes.com/...
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@squawkcnbc
Squawk Box
on x
“The idea preventing people from being their own contractor, setting their own times, doing all that, rather than having the state do it, is nuts,” says Barry Diller on Prop 22 in California. “We can't overregulate these things.” $LYFT $UBER https://twitter.com/...
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@eppman
Mike Eppel
on x
Tech stocks are surging this AM on election results on potentially reduced taxation risks. Apple up 3%. Uber and Lyft both up 14% on California ballot initiative to keep drivers as contractors.
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@jason_kint
Jason Kint
on x
California's new privacy ballot passes. Funds new privacy enforcement division, closes some loopholes on the major data collectors (Google, Facebook) and makes it very hard for them to weaken in the future. Enforcement in 2023. https://twitter.com/...
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@joewestby
Joe Westby
on x
Big blow for labour rights of gig workers. The fact these companies could throw big $$$ funding a campaign to exempt themselves from law is shocking - corporate lobbying on steroids. https://twitter.com/...
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@seanzevran
Sean Zevran
on x
I didn't hear a single worker defend this, and I've spoken with numerous. https://twitter.com/...
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@andrew4mk
Andrew Pakes
on x
Okay. Lots going on in America. But this is significant. At huge expense big tech has just bought its way to weaker employment rights & standards for gig workers in California https://twitter.com/...
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@byjacobward
Jacob Ward
on x
A coalition backed by Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart and PostMates spent $200M to reverse a law that classified their workers as employees. That law, AB5, went into effect not even a year ago, and tonight they won exemption through a ballot proposition. https://www.cnbc.com/...
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@aloudonline
Aloud
on x
So disappointing. A real blow to workers. This is all part of a larger erosion of labor protections that we should all be incredibly worried about. -J https://twitter.com/...
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@rbreich
Robert Reich
on x
Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash have spent over $186,000,000 on Prop 22 in California — a ballot measure that leaves drivers without guaranteed sick leave, health care, bargaining rights, or a minimum wage. Vote NO on 22. Please spread the word. https://twitter.com/...
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@danpriceseattle
Dan Price
on x
Uber and Lyft spent $200 million to convince people it couldn't afford to pay employees. It worked. When you're a big corporation, you don't have to play by the rules of everyone else https://www.motherjones.com/ ...
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@bgurley
Bill Gurley
on x
I would restate this. CA recognized that AB5 was simply money buying legislation in Sacramento. @LorenaSGonzalez trying to help her donor the @SEIU The editorial groups of all major papers called this out. & Willie Brown. A great light shown on an ugly political process. https://…
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@pattersonnbc
Steve Patterson
on x
In a brief aside for all my Californians... this is a big deal with a big price tag. It will have immediate ramifications on the well-being of the people that fuel what is essentially our form of reliable/widespread pseudo public transportation in many areas. https://twitter.com/…
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@mirandacgreen
Miranda Green
on x
With more than half of the state reporting, the prop is winning by nearly 58%. The fight by tech giants to pass it has lead to most expensive ballot race in California's history https://twitter.com/...