Tim Cook almost put the brakes on Uber over privacy

Apple almost kicked Uber out the app store a few years ago for being reckless with user privacy by keeping track and identifying iPhone users even after the app had been deleted from the phone. This is according to a New York Times report, which gives a highly detailed account of Of how CEO Travis Kalanick has a history of doing whatever it takes to win, even if that means knowingly violating Apple's privacy rules. Back in 2015, Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly invited Kalanick to a meeting at Apple's headquarters, where Cook said to him calmly, "So I've heard you've been breaking some of our rules." That's not something that you want to have Tim Cook call you in and then say to you. According to the Times, Cook then demanded the Uber app stop its privacy violating behavior or it would be removed from the App Store, and (inaudible) complied. Uber said the app was ID'ing people to prevent fraud by stopping folks from creating fake new accounts to earn more money and cheat the system But it wasn't just, that app could ID users, even when the app was deleted. You see, according to the report, Kalanick told his engineers, to hide this code from Apple, by putting a geo fence around Apple's headquarters, so anyone from Apple that was testing the app. Wouldn't be able to catch the code. That little stunt didn't stop Apple from eventually spotting it. How Nick's risk taking has put the future of the Ride-Hailing app in peril multiple times. And the company is now facing its longest lasting string of problems Since it began in 2009. Uber has reportedly used a secret tool called Grey Ball to trick some law enforcement agencies from finding drivers in areas where the app wasn't allowed to operate. There's also been the recent allegations from former employees that the company is hostile to women employees. And Kalanick was caught on camera shouting with an Uber driver in February, coming off as insensitive to the people working for him. Now out of this rose a campaign for people to delete Uber and use an alternative app like Lyft. Kalanick has since apologized for some of his actions and said he's looking to hire A chief operating officer to help better manage the company. To read up on more of Uber's drama, you can head to CNet.com