Uber
11,320 words · ~57 min read · Last updated January 2024
Clause-by-Clause Translation
Original
"Uber may use your trip data, including route, speed, and location information, to improve the Services, for safety purposes, and to provide targeted advertising."
Translation
Every journey you have ever taken with Uber — where you went, how fast you got there, what time you were picked up, your home address and work address derived from recurring trips — is a data asset. It is used for advertising. The Bureau notes that Uber knows where you sleep.
Original
"YOU AGREE THAT, BY ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT, YOU AND UBER ARE EACH WAIVING THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY OR TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION."
Translation
This is written in capitals. That is not an accident. You have agreed that if something goes wrong — the driver does something dangerous, you are charged incorrectly, your data is misused — you cannot join a class action lawsuit with other affected users. You must each sue separately in arbitration. This is better for Uber.
Original
"Uber and its affiliates may share your personal data with insurance partners, background check vendors, and other third parties in connection with the provision of Services."
Translation
Your trip data, payment information, and personal details can be shared with insurance companies. The insurance companies can use this data in ways governed by their own terms of service, which you have not read and are not required to agree to separately.
Original
"Uber does not guarantee that the Fare Estimate provided at the time of booking reflects the final Fare charged for the Completed Trip."
Translation
The price shown when you book is not necessarily the price you will pay. Surge pricing, demand calculations, and route changes mean the final amount can differ. The Bureau notes that you cannot see the calculation and there is no negotiation mechanism.
Original
"You acknowledge that Uber is not a transportation company and that Uber Drivers are independent contractors, not Uber employees."
Translation
If something goes wrong in the car, Uber's position is that they are a technology platform and the driver is independently responsible. Uber built the system, owns the app, sets the rates, and controls the rating system — but in the event of an incident, their liability is constrained by this clause.
What You Actually Agreed To
Class action waiver — you cannot join with other Uber users to sue collectively
Jury trial waiver for any disputes
Comprehensive location tracking of all journeys, including derivation of home and work addresses
Sharing of personal data with insurance and background check companies
That displayed prices are estimates, not guarantees
That Uber is not a transportation provider and has limited liability for in-car incidents
Bureau Summary
"Uber's terms manage to make "getting in a car" into a legally complex act of consent. The Bureau is impressed, professionally. You waive class-action rights, agree to surveillance of your journeys, allow your data to be shared with insurance companies, and accept that the price you see might not be the price you pay. All while ordering a ride to the airport."
— Bureau Translation Service