Apr 13, 2017

Uber reportedly used secret software to track Lyft

Richard Vogel / AP

From 2014-2016, Uber reportedly had a secret program, named "Hell," to spoof Lyft accounts and track its main U.S. competitor's drivers, according to The Information.

How it worked: In addition to using fake passenger accounts to see driver locations, Uber noticed that it could track each driver's habits, and even figure out which ones were driving for both services by matching their locations. Uber then targeted these dual drivers with additional promotions to get them to shift more time to Uber, and routed rides to keep them busy and not picking up Lyft passengers.

The repercussions: If true, Uber's tactics could have legal consequences. For one, they would be violating Lyft's terms of service, which prohibit impersonating people or entities. They could also constitute fraud, misappropriate of trade secrets, and violations ofthe federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, according to the report.

Deja vu: Uber recently made headlines when it was discovered it used software to evade local law enforcement. It has since discontinued the practice.

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Jim VandeHei, Margaret Talev

The cost of going after Bloomberg

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Here's the growing dilemma for 2020 Democrats vying for a one-on-one showdown with frontrunner Bernie Sanders: Do they have the guts — and the money — to first stop Mike Bloomberg?

Why it matters: Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren all must weigh the costs of punching Bloomberg where he looks most vulnerable: stop-and-frisk, charges of sexism, billionaire entitlement. The more zealous the attacks, the greater the risk he turns his campaign ATM against them.

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Courtenay Brown, Danielle Alberti

How Trump’s economy stacks up

Source: "Presidents and US Economy", Trump figures through 2019 courtesy of Alan Blinder; Note: Data shows real GDP and Q1 growth in each term is attributed to the previous president; Chart: Axios Visuals

Average economic growth under President Trump has outpaced the growth under Barack Obama, but not all of his recent predecessors.

Why it matters: GDP is the most comprehensive economic scorecard — and something presidents, especially Trump, use as an example of success. And it's especially relevant since Trump is running for re-election on his economic record.

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Axios

Coronavirus cases rise as 14 American evacuees infected

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, the CDC, and China's NHC; Note: China refers to mainland China and the Diamond Princess is the cruise ship offshore Yokohama, Japan. Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios

14 Americans evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship tested positive for the novel coronavirus before being flown in a "specialist containment" on a plane repatriating U.S. citizens back home, the U.S. government said early Monday.

The big picture: COVID-19 has now killed at least 1,770 people and infected almost 70,000 others. Most cases and all but five of the deaths have occurred in mainland China. Taiwan confirmed its first death on Sunday, per multiple reports, in a 61-year-old man with underlying health conditions. Health officials were investigating how he became ill.

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