"Uber Files": the whistleblower, former lobbyist, waived his anonymity
Protesters unfurl a banner in front of the New York Stock Exchange during Uber Technologies Inc.'s IPO in New York in May 2019. REUTERS - ANDREW KELLY
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Uber accused of exploiting the conflict between its drivers and taxi drivers.
This is one of the revelations of the "Uber Files", the analysis of thousands of documents carried out by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
The whistleblower behind the leak has waived his anonymity: it is the former figure of Uber in Europe, Mark McGann.
He spoke to the British daily the
Guardian
, which was behind the revelations.
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With our correspondent in London,
Emeline Vin
From 2014 to 2016, Mark McGann led Uber lobbyists in around 40 countries.
Welcomed with open arms in all capitals, he is now a whistleblower to ease his conscience.
He explains: “
I am partially responsible.
I was the one talking to the governments, I was the one talking to the media, I was the one telling people to change the rules, because the drivers were going to benefit so much from it, because it was going to provide such economic opportunities… When it turned out to be wrong, we had been selling lies.
How can you have a good conscience if you don't take responsibility for your contribution to the way people are treated today?
»
The source of the #Uberfiles has come forward to explain why he leaked 124,000 documents to the Guardian.
He is Mark MacGann, formerly Uber's chief lobbyist in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Here's his exclusive interview with us.https://t.co/iFybU8gljA
— Paul Lewis (@PaulLewis) July 11, 2022
The internal slogan at the time: don't ask permission, break the law to change it.
Even if it means pitting Uber drivers against taxis.
McGann suffered insults and death threats: “
The anger, the hatred that I received, I do not blame the authors.
We were a company that broke all the rules, and used its money and influence to destroy their business.
»
Mark McGann spent several years under close protection.
Uber, in a statement, refuses to "
apologize for past behaviors that do not reflect current values
" of the company.
►
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