Uber Sought To Disrupt European Taxi System. Leaked Communications Shows, That They Lobbied With European Politicians

Leaked data revealed how the Uber transport platform communicated with top politicians such as Emmanuel Macron or former European Commissioner Neelie Kroes. The leaked information also reveals that the former head of the platform ordered the use of an emergency "kill switch" system to prevent investigators from accessing the computers, reports The Guardian.

The leaked files contain more than 124,000 records, around 83,000 emails and thousands of other files including conversations. The information comes from the period of 2013 to 2017. It reveals that the company recruited friendly politicians for 90 million a year and tried to subvert the European taxi system.

For example, during the mass protests of taxi drivers in France, the current president, Emmanuel Macron, was supposed to tell the then CEO of Uber, Travis Kalanick, that he would reform the laws in favor of the company.

Other data show how European Commissioner Neelie Kroes, one of the highest representatives of Brussels, negotiated joining the company during her term of office and then secretly lobbied for the company. Uber has said that their past behaviour is not aligned with their current values.