Uber has posted a new privacy policy on its website that bans employees from accessing riders' trip data except "for a legitimate set of business purposes."
The news comes after news broke that an Uber exec suggested the company could dig up personal information on reporters who cover Uber unfavorably.
Another journalist says Uber employees warned her that Uber could look at her trip data, as she was researching a story about CEO Travis Kalanick. However, there's no evidence Uber actually did so.
Uber provided the following examples of "legitimate business purposes" for looking through trip data.
- Supporting riders and drivers in order to solve problems brought to their attention by the Uber community.
- Facilitating payment transactions for drivers.
- Monitoring driver and rider accounts for fraudulent activity, including terminating fake accounts and following up on stolen credit card reports.
- Reviewing specific rider or driver accounts in order to troubleshoot bugs.
Uber also said employee access to rider data is closely monitored and that employees who violate the company privacy policy are subject to "the possibility of termination and legal action."