Uber CEO accuses Chinese messaging app WeChat of censorship
Uber's Chief Executive, Travis Kalanick, has alleged that all of Uber's accounts are blocked on the Tencent-owned WeChat web service, which is massively popular in China. This is interesting as Tencent owns Uber’s biggest Chinese rival, Didi Kuaidi. He also claimed that positive news about Uber was censored on WeChat's platforms, while negative news was promoted. “Competition in China works differently,” he said at the Wall Street Journal's WSJDLive conference in California on Tuesday night. “As a Western company, these are the types of things you have to get used to.”

Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick was typically outspoken at the WSJD Live event in California on Tuesday night.

He commented on a range of topics, such as China now accounting for 30 percent of its rides (soon to surpass the U.S.), Uber’s struggles against censorship on China’s popular mobile messaging app WeChat (now with 600 million users), Beijing catching up with Silicon Valley, Uber drivers and the future of driverless cars, why he won’t introduce tipping, launching in new cities, the question of an Uber IPO, and U.S. competitor Lyft (recently backed by Uber’s China rival).

There are lots of great titbits from the interview, and we’ve pulled together the best via Twitter for you here.

On Uber’s progress in China, WeChat censorship, and Beijing’s innovation:

https://twitter.com/MarkHoelzel/status/656671697483894788

Around 30% of Uber's trips are now in China, almost as much as the U.S., says @travisk. Biggest city: Chengdu #WSJDLive — Doug MacMillan (@dmac1) October 21, 2015

All of Uber's accounts are blocked on Tencent's Wechat, Uber's Kalanick alleges. Competition works differently in China — Yun-Hee Kim (@yunheekim22) October 21, 2015

Wow: @travisk claims WeChat censors positive Uber news and messaging in China (WeChat developer TenCent backs rival Didi Kuaidi) #WSJDLive — Marcus Wohlsen (@MarcusWohlsen) October 21, 2015

Travis: All positive stories about Uber are suppressed on WeChat and negative stories are raised #WSJDLive pic.twitter.com/DwTWovryBg — Alistair Barr (@alistairmbarr) October 21, 2015

Uber's Travis Kalanick on Tencent's "dirty tricks" in China: "Competition in China works differently" #WSJDLive pic.twitter.com/48cgjc1lMy — Aaron Tilley (@aatilley) October 21, 2015

Uber's Travis Kalanick shows how China is catching Silicon Valley on innovation #WSJDLive pic.twitter.com/8xkKFwhyPF — Alistair Barr (@alistairmbarr) October 21, 2015

Uber's Travis Kalanick: "In five years, Beijing is going to be giving Silicon Valley a run for its money." #WSJDLive — Aaron Tilley (@aatilley) October 21, 2015

On Uber drivers and the future of driverless cars:

"The future will happen so we'll be part of it" @uber CEO on driverless cars putting drivers out of jobs #wsjdlive pic.twitter.com/WL1bY0Dh1N — Elizabeth Gould (@lsabeth3) October 21, 2015

Easy to get a 90% reliable driverless car, @travisk says. "The question is, when does it get to the 99.9999% solution?" #WSJDLive — Doug MacMillan (@dmac1) October 21, 2015

50% of active Uber drivers do less than 9hrs a week #WSJDLive — Mark Hoelzel (@MarkHoelzel) October 21, 2015

Why no tips for @Uber drivers? "I don't think it's fair" says @travisk. They are "stressful & anxiety-ridden" for waiters & diners #WSJDLive — Geoffrey Fowler (@geoffreyfowler) October 21, 2015

"Driverless cars are like Californians – they don't like rain." – Uber's @travisk. #WSJDLive — Julia Love (@byJuliaLove) October 21, 2015

On driverless investments: “Does @Uber want to be part of the future or do we want to resist? Our choice is to be part of that” #WSJDLive — Sara Ashley O'Brien (@saraashleyo) October 21, 2015

Travis on self-driving cars: Does Uber want to be part of the future or resist it like the taxi industry? #WSJDLive pic.twitter.com/YMX756O2u6 — Alistair Barr (@alistairmbarr) October 21, 2015

On Uber launches in new cities, and resistance from some of the local population:

Travis: "We see ourselves fighting for cities not fighting against cities" #WSJDLive pic.twitter.com/aYkQIO1G6h — Alistair Barr (@alistairmbarr) October 21, 2015

When asked about govt resistance to Uber, Kalanick reminds the crowd that his company smacked de blasio like a rag doll. #WSJDLive — katie benner (@ktbenner) October 21, 2015

“When you succeed, there are going to be incumbents who fight progress from happening” @travisk @Uber #WSJDLive — Sara Ashley O'Brien (@saraashleyo) October 21, 2015

On when Uber will go public (IPO):

Uber's @travisk on going public: "We are like 8th graders & somebody is telling us that we need to go to the prom. Give us time." #WSJDLive — Doug MacMillan (@dmac1) October 21, 2015

Travis raises the possibility of private secondary market stock sales for Uber employees #WSJDLive pic.twitter.com/bDWMHeE3vj — Alistair Barr (@alistairmbarr) October 21, 2015

On U.S. competitor Lyft, now backed by Uber’s biggest competitor in China:

Uber CEO on Didi investing Lyft: "I guess Didi has a few percentage points ownership in Lyft… I don’t see the upside for Didi." #WSJDLive — Doug MacMillan (@dmac1) October 21, 2015