Uber used Greyball tool to evade investigations by authorities
Uber has used a programme called Greyball to collect data from the Uber app, using it to identify authorities and evade them in cities across the globe. This has enabled Uber to resist authorities’ control in areas where it has had issues with law enforcement. Greyball has been used to “tag” those investigating the app and supply them with fake versions of Uber with ghost cars to evade capture. The system is part of the “violation of terms of service” programme Uber uses to guard against improper use of its app, but using it against authorities may be illegal, according to regulators.
SAN FRANCISCO — Uber has for years engaged in a worldwide program to deceive the authorities in markets where its low-cost ride-hailing service was resisted by law enforcement or, in some instances, had been banned.

The program, involving a tool called Greyball, uses data collected from the Uber app and other techniques to identify and circumvent officials who were trying to clamp down on the ride-hailing service. Uber used these methods to evade the authorities in cities like Boston, Paris and Las Vegas, and in countries like Australia, China and South Korea.

Greyball was part of a program called VTOS, short for “violation of terms of service,” which Uber created to root out people it thought were using or targeting its service improperly. The program, including Greyball, began as early as 2014 and remains in use, predominantly outside the United States. Greyball was approved by Uber’s legal team.

Greyball and the VTOS program were described to The New York Times by four current and former Uber employees, who also provided documents. The four spoke on the condition of anonymity because the tools and their use are confidential and because of fear of retaliation by Uber.