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Uber Aims To Become a More 'Actively Anti-Racist' Company (cnet.com) 123

Posted by msmash from the moving-forward dept.
Uber on Friday unveiled several "long-term commitments" the ride-hailing company says will help it improve equality and fairness, including doubling Black representation in its leadership and taking steps to support Black-owned businesses and restaurants. From a report: "One thing is clear to us: we can't just hope that our products alone will improve equity and fairness," wrote Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in a blog post. "We must use our global breadth, our technology, and our data to help make change, faster -- so that we become a more actively anti-racist company; a safer, more inclusive company and platform; and a faithful ally to all the communities we serve." Uber is among several tech giants to say it'll make changes as well as pledge funds to groups battling racial injustice after the killing of George Floyd by police sparked protests across the US.
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Uber Aims To Become a More 'Actively Anti-Racist' Company More

Uber Aims To Become a More 'Actively Anti-Racist' Company

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  • Well, I didnâ(TM)t know the KKK had started a ride sharing company.

    • i think this means they're going to serve klan meetings and then when the car is full, lock the doors and drive off a cliff?

    • If you are not Anti-Racist it doesn't mean you are Pro-Racist.
      Anti-Racist are actively working to improve it company to make sure a Racist methodology is not continued and review of policies and procures to make sure they are not inadvertently racist.

      For example Companies often have an AI that weeds threw Resume's, What was found, was Resume's with names common to minorities were being rejected, due to the learning algorithm picking up on its human past decisions. An Anti-Racist company would actively dis

      • The language from black lives matter lately has been that you're either racist or anti-racist, and that there can't be anything in the middle.

        I'm still waiting for some kind of effort to topple Abraham Lincoln statues because he was very much openly racist, or some kind of effort to throw out the entire English language because it reinforces white hegemony at the cultural level.

        • I'm still waiting for some kind of effort to topple Abraham Lincoln statues

          First they ought to rename Yale, because Elihu Yale was a slave-trader.

          Then they ought to either rename — or outright abolish — the Theorem, because Pythagoras owned a slave.

          Only then can they approach Lincoln...

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Bert64 ( 520050 )

        Such an AI would be broken, as the name of a candidate is not a relevant factor to determine their competence for the job. A well written system is going to consider the experience and skills of a candidate.

        Such an algorithm when applied to technical roles is going to overwhelmingly select white and asian candidates, not because the algorithm is racist but because there are significantly more white and asian candidates with the skills and experience.

        However this is not good enough for the "anti racist" crow

    • I'm willing to bet the first company with the balls to advertise themselves as pro-racist will make a whole lot of friends real fast.

      • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

        by PopeRatzo ( 965947 )

        I'm willing to bet the first company with the balls to advertise themselves as pro-racist will make a whole lot of friends real fast.

        by Third Position ( 1725934 )

        It's time for my periodic reminder that the above account used to have a link to a "Third Position" website that espoused openly neo-Nazi views. He later removed that link (I'd like to think it was because I pointed it out every time I saw one of his posts). Here is some information about where the moniker "Third Position" comes from. It gives c

        • Comment removed based on user account deletion

          • Why did he remove the link if he openly advertises to be a neo Nazis through his handle?

            Shame. It's hard to be a crypto-Nazi if someone points out evidence that you are a Nazi.

            Also Third Position seems to be an outdated philosophy from the 20th century, what about you ask him what that means today?

            Maybe you weren't around back then, but I've engaged Third Position before here on Slashdot, and he confirmed that he subscribes to the outlook of this "outdated philosophy" that was still espousing neo-Nazi bel

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Nidi62 ( 1525137 )

        I'm willing to bet the first company with the balls to advertise themselves as pro-racist will make a whole lot of friends real fast.

        I think they call those country clubs.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Z80a ( 971949 )

        It will cease to exist because mastercard will squeeze the balls of everyone to defund it.

  • Anti-racist is key for "Actually Racist" (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 17, 2020 @01:10PM (#60300587)

    Any time I see someone say they are "Anti Racist", I automatically know they are racists against whites - and oh by the way, all you asians and hispanic people? You are all white now.

    We any of us tolerate this rise of very real racism, I cannot understand. I treat a person based on what they do and know, not on the color of their skin which I find irrelevant.

    • Any time I see someone say they are "Anti Racist", I automatically know they are racists against whites - and oh by the way, all you asians and hispanic people? You are all white now.

      We any of us tolerate this rise of very real racism, I cannot understand. I treat a person based on what they do and know, not on the color of their skin which I find irrelevant.

      You appear to be possessed of the knowledge and wisdom of a cement mixer.

    • >Any time I see someone say they are "Anti Racist", I automatically know they are racists against whites - and oh by the way, all you asians and hispanic people? You are all white now.

      I do see many people like that, but I would definitely disagree that it is everyone.

      >We any of us tolerate this rise of very real racism, I cannot understand. I treat a person based on what they do and know, not on the color of their skin which I find irrelevant.

      Mostly it is fear of disapproval by so called friends.

      The s

    • Anti-racist is just a term acknowledging that there is no neutral. Inaction - a.k.a. maintaining the status quo - directly leads to the perpetuation of institutional racism. The problem with a silent majority is that everyone assumes this majority is on their own side.

      • No doubt. There absolutely IS systemic racism. Wanna see some, in print? Go look up scholarships for minorities. None of those allow whites. I lived in a small town that was 80% hispanic. Do you think anyone will take me seriously when I say I was the minority? ANY talk, rules, assistance, programs, companies, that mention race, is inherently discriminatory. But hey, that's cool, have you stood up against "inaction"? So you've "lead to the perpetuation of institutional racism". Grats.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Nidi62 ( 1525137 )

          No doubt. There absolutely IS systemic racism. Wanna see some, in print? Go look up scholarships for minorities. None of those allow whites.
          I lived in a small town that was 80% hispanic. Do you think anyone will take me seriously when I say I was the minority?

          You wouldn't qualify for a scholarship anyway, because there's no way you'd even get accepted into college with reasoning skills like that. It's for national minorities, not local statistical minorities. Are all white people suddenly a minority now if 1 white person goes to an HBCU? And in your small town that was 80% hispanic, if you are white you still are more likely to get into college than your hispanic neighbors. Nobody will take you seriously because you are an idiot.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Bert64 ( 520050 )

            A scholarship which is for "minorities" is inherently racist by its very definition, as it explicitly uses race as one of its criteria for selection.

            What makes a poor white kid who grew up in a trailer park less deserving of a scholarship than a poor black kid who grew up in an inner city ghetto?

            • What makes a poor white kid who grew up in a trailer park less deserving of a scholarship than a poor black kid who grew up in an inner city ghetto?

              Nothing. But we give scholarships to poor black kids because, while you may not be racist, there are plenty of racists out there who will absolutely deny that poor black kid opportunities because of their race. And the poor white kid, while they may have many other struggles, will likely not face that particular kind of discrimination. Scholarships, like the one you're talking about, are not about rewarding someone for being black, or punishing someone for being white. They're (partially) about trying to le

              • Re: (Score:2)

                by Bert64 ( 520050 )

                The poor white kid absolutely does face that kind of discrimination, you've just given the example yourself of scholarships that are only given to black kids - this is discrimination, and it's worse because it's open and tolerated.
                Similar discrimination if it occurs against the black kid is a crime, and would need to be concealed by the perpetrator.

                The playing field is not level, but racism is also not the primary reason, it's merely a convenient excuse. The US is absolutely one of the least racist countrie

      • Anti-racist is just a term acknowledging that there is no neutral.

        "If you are not with me... you are my enemy"?

      • That sounds healthy.

        Likewise, I posit no such thing as "not communist." You are either an anti-communist - actively fighting against communism and promoting capitalist ideals - or a commie sympathizer who needs to be dealt with. Being dealt with isn't fun, so I strongly recommend denouncing some people as communists to prove your anti-communist credentials.

        You're anti-witch too, right?

    • They're usually racist against blacks as well, in a condescending, low-expectations fashion.
      The Smithsonian just put out- and then memory-holed- a graphic saying that "thinking about the future" and "being on time" are oppressive aspects of 'white cultural supremacy'.
      These people are insane retrogrades, and will take us straight back to raw tribalism if we let them. They are openly rejecting objectivity, rationalism, and every personal / behavioural trait that lead to our modern world.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      Uber is just acknowledging that simply saying "okay we aren't racist any more, no more racism at Uber" doesn't make it actually happen.

    • Any time I see someone say they are "Anti Racist", I automatically know they are racists against whites

      What in the hell is this drivel moderated up for. This sounds like "white replacement" garbage.

      I'm white, I'm very much anti-racist, I would stand with anyone else making that claim, and am very much not racist against whites, whatever the fuck that even means. Does anyone even talk in public like that? Who actually says "anti racist is racist against whites" in the real world, I mean don't be shy, it's your opinion, I just do not want to ever work with you, ever, you're judgement is so suspect, so be vo

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Bert64 ( 520050 )

        Maybe because most of those who claim to be "anti racist" are actually racists themselves, and are pushing for an apartheid-style system where a minority race receives preferential treatment over others.

      • Most people are "anti-racist" but the term have been taken over by extremists, who are actually themselves racists and totalitarian in their thinking. Therefore many of us revolt when we hear the term.

      • 'When someone says anti-racist and you go into a defensive position, it's a sign of some deep insecurities you need to work out. If you feel like a persecuted white guy, holy fuckballs, grow a pair.'

        Wow, how racist. what if I said 'If you feel like a persecuted black guy, holy fuckballs, grow a pair'? See? that would be racist also.
        The fact is that people of all genders, colors, races, religions can be persecuted.. thankfully the majority are not.

        But no, you are racist, so you cannot accept that. ANY sugges

    • The problem with your argument is that while you might not treat people differently based on skin color, there are most certainly people who do. And, just in case I need to spell it out for you, racism disproportionally affects people who are not white. So in order to counteract this, some people will do their best to be "anti-racist" to help level the playing field, which benefits everyone.

      But ignoring that, we can assume there are three possible positions:

      Against racism (Anti-racist)
      Neutral on racism
      In fa

  • Maybe Im Tardy to the Party didi they rename Uber Black to Uber Rainbow or something? How about forcing all the cards to have White wall tires. Wait, is that racist too? not sure now. Rainbow colored tires maybe?

    • Sorry but you're on the wrong thread. We no longer care about trans or gay anything. The alphabet soup people have been over ridden by the race baiters and white haters.

      There's a "woke hierarchy". Skin color is way more important than gender stuff. To be clear: a cis male black is infinitely more important in this scheme than a white trans MtF.

      Please keep up with the narrative.

    • If you were as focused as unifying poor people as you are in disavowing those crying racism; if you just swapped your efforts, this country might get somewhere.

      The real wealth gap is easy to see. Plot access to a commodity resource (e.g., money, time, gold, guns, political clout, etc.) vs. a list of the world's people on the other axis. Draw the mean line. You already plotted the mode. Draw the median line.

      Notice how there are outliers significantly above the mean (the extremely wealthy). You can argue that

      • It's not hard to tell what Uber is really committed to. Look at what they pay their drivers. Many of them are black, too... but not a word about that. Instead, they tweak the racial makeup of the C-suite offices.
         
        They give a couple of the white guys golden parachutes on the way out, bring a couple of house negroes in... and continue to get rich off the hordes that are still out in the cotton field.

  • Sounds Racist (Score:4)

    by Chris453 ( 1092253 ) on Friday July 17, 2020 @01:18PM (#60300637)
    "improve equality and fairness, including doubling Black representation in its leadership"
    So they are going to battle racism by advancing people to leadership positions based on the color of their skin? And that isn't racist because it discriminates against non-black people?

    • "improve equality and fairness, including doubling Black representation in its leadership"

      When I read this, my first thought was "so, they're going to have TWO blacks in their leadership?"

    • "improve equality and fairness, including doubling Black representation in its leadership"
      So they are going to battle racism by advancing people to leadership positions based on the color of their skin?

      If it brings their percentage of black leaders up (or closer) to the percentage of black customers then it's still combating racism.

      And that isn't racist because it discriminates against non-black people?

      No. Black is not a race. But black people are targeted by racists.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by taustin ( 171655 )

        No. Black is not a race. But black people are targeted by racists.

        If black is not a race, then targeting people for being black isn't racism.

        You are literally incoherent. What you say makes no sense whatsoever.

        This is why nobody takes your drivel seriously.

      • No. Black is not a race.

        Well, you'd better tell that to the NAACP, whose vision statement [naacp.org] says:

        The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.

        You might also want to let the government and every single corporate HR department in the US know as well.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Bert64 ( 520050 )

        If it brings their percentage of black leaders up (or closer) to the percentage of black customers then it's still combating racism.

        No it's actively promoting racism if someone was promoted to a leadership position because of their race and not because they earned that position through their own merit.
        There is absolutely no valid reason why a company leadership needs to be representative of its customers. In fact the opposite is more likely to be true, as providing goods or services is traditionally about supply and demand - someone who has a supply sets up a company to provide to those who have a demand. If the customers already had an

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      No, those people are good enough but were prevented from reaching that level by racism.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by taustin ( 171655 )

        When they set a quota based on the color of the employees' skin, they are promoting solely on the basis of skin color. And that is, literally, the dictionary definition of racism.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          Dictionary.com says

          "prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized."

          So helping people reach equality doesn't quality.

          • You conveniently forget about all the other races that would be discriminated against by promoting black individuals instead of them simply BECAUSE they are black, which is what their statement states. Using skin color to determine leadership potential is racism even by your definition.
      • And you know this how?

  • Then get rid of him and put in a person of color. Back your marketing nonsense with actual actions.

  • Well, I guess that they could start.... (Score:3)

    by leonbev ( 111395 ) on Friday July 17, 2020 @01:21PM (#60300669) Journal

    By paying their drivers more. Many of them are minorities, and they barely make over minimum wage when you factor in the costs of maintaining their car.

    Of course, they would require them to make an ACTUAL change that impacts their bottom line. Better stick with the BS virtue signaling statements, those cost far less.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by eddeye ( 85134 )
      I misread the headline as "Uber Aims To Become More Actively Racist Company".

      The sad part is, I wasn't surprised by that...

    • No, they shouldn't pay all their drivers more. That's racist.

      They should pay their black drivers more. That is anti-racist.

    • Their drivers are being "paid" exactly what the sign on for and agreed to be paid. Remember their contractors NOT employees. The true "pay" of driving for Uber/Lyft is after you pay your own taxes, gas, maintenance, and account for vehicle wear and tear. If people STOPPED agreeing to live off the equity of their vehicles by being drivers, Uber/Lyft would be forced to give a higher revenue share to the driver just to attract drivers. That's how capitalism works. You can't be passive or ignorant about co

    • Many of them are minorities, and they barely make over minimum wage when you factor in the costs of maintaining their car.

      Have you tried actually talking to the drivers? Ask them exactly this. All of the drivers that drive often, make way more than minimum wage even factoring in vehicle costs. All of the very active drivers take great advantage of surge pricing.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by leonbev ( 111395 )

        My understanding is that the surge pricing and bonuses used to be more lucrative during the early days of Uber. Now that they're getting competition from Lyft basically everywhere, the fare money just isn't as good as it was before.

  • This is code for our management has no idea how to advertise our services.

    Also means this company has no employees that will go on to found profitable companies after we go broke.

    Remember all you anti racist racists, you can't use any chinese, german, japanese, southern us, democrat party, indian, african, israel, muslim products.

    All those group have been racist at one point or another in history.

    I am sure I have missed some group or another.

    It is really a big list, I hope you can navigate it and survive.

    My

    • Remember all you anti racist racists, you can't use any chinese, german, japanese, southern us, democrat party, indian, african, israel, muslim products.

      All those group have been racist at one point or another in history.

      You don't really have a good understanding of the whole topic, do you?

  • If they go out of their way to support companies ran by X then by definition they're excluding companies not ran by X.

    While we shouldn't throw around the word racism / racist, as 99.999% of the media get it wrong, if you exclude a group or include a group based on some form involuntary attribute for instance being "Black", then you've committed discrimination, which is the opposite action Uber is trying to accomplish.

    In the same context if you hire based off that same involuntary attribute, you've commi

  • What they really mean is anti-white. Period. Full stop. They will be actively discriminating against whites under the guise of newspeak terms like "anti-racism" and "inclusivity."

    Uber wasn't previously advocating for anti-black policies. No, they simply weren't pushing SJW policies hard enough to satisfy the mob. Now, they caved and are *actually* discriminating against a group of people based on how they were born - all under some perverted definition of fairness and equality. Sickening.

  • Welcome to the American Racist Socialist Party

    Anyone who doesn't kowtow to BLM will be beaten, murdered, ostracized, fired.

    Yep, the new Nazis are in town and they're coming for you.

    I'm so done with this shit. What a nation of pussies! Where's the fucking pushback? Huh?

    I can't possibly be the only one that sees this for what it is!

    • I can't possibly be the only one that sees this for what it is!

      Not the only one, perhaps, but the number of you with this particular delusion is enough in the minority now thankfully.

  • Given how ye average person's answer to hate and harm is hate and harm of the opposite polarity, that is declared a good thing because "He did it first, waaah!". (It's literally the entirety of our legal system.) Preferably going even further than the declared enemy, in the long run.

    Have fun then, Uber, when the racists learn how to *properly* hate and harm so it is socially accepted too, from /you/. :D

    Did you know that your company name itself has devolved directly from Nazi propaganda? "Über", pronou

    • Seriously good point about the origin of their company name.

      The only good answer is to cancel themselves and shut down the company. Anything less is obviously pro-racist.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Nidi62 ( 1525137 )

      Did you know that your company name itself has devolved directly from Nazi propaganda? "Über", pronounced a bit like "ewber", means "above", "over", etc, and in one very specific context, also "superior". That context stems from Nazis using the term "Übermensch", which is a "superior human" aka one drom the Aryan "master race". And this is the context that the modern US meaning of "uber" grew from.

      The origin of "ubermensch" is from Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Written in 1883. 6 years before Hitler was born.

      And the fact that Sanskrit and Hindi have similar words with the same meaning of "above" as uber (upari and upar respectively) show Proto-Indo-European roots for the word uber, implying that the word itself is of course much older than even the late 19th century.

  • Really? How many people do you know that actually things their race is superior to others? Out of my 40+ years on this earth growing up in one of the most backwoods areas, I can only think of 1 slightly racist cousin that died a long time ago. Its all bs and virtual signaling.

    • Define "know". I've encountered more than a handful of people who really think that they are literally racially superior, and even more who think that black people in particular are literally racially inferior in one or more ways. And the latter group in particular has plenty of representation here on Slashdot.

      • Do you hang out with the other handful of people who still go to KKK events?

        • If you ask someone if they're racist, they'll invariably say "no". It's been deemed unacceptable for about half a century.

          But ask them why cops kill black people, and it's "because they're criminals." Ask them why black families have financial struggles and it's "because the men don't work." I've seen actual, hood-wearing Klansmen explain it as "Heritage, not hate." (At least when the cameras came around.)

          No, nobody's racist these days.

          I'm not the one you were asking who I hang out with, but I'll tell you

    • So only one of your relatives openly espoused racist views to you and they're dead, therefore racism doesn't exist?

      sure thing buddy

  • Based on the answers so far I'm very glad I don't live in the US.

    Obviously everyone should have the same fundamental human rights. Black people have been, and still are, denied many of these rights. The right to choose where to live, the right not to be hassled by police for no reason, the right not to be excluded from jobs because of skin color.

    Due to long term continuing racism many people see a need to mandate some limits and goals based on skin color to overcome the current problems. As per Rea

    • Here, I'll join you.

      Affirmative action not only doesn't harm people who it isn't meant to assist, it actually benefits them by giving them an opportunity to work with people who are victims of racism, and learn that they're humans too.

      Obviously all lives matter but some people are being killed without consequences and most of those are not blue or white. If your cousin's husband/wife dies and they ask for sympathy you don't say "everyone dies, not just your spouse," at least not unless you lack empathy. You should think about the consequences.

      If I'd ever heard them say "All Lives Matter", I probably would. But I'm an asshole like that. Not to everyone, just to other assholes.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Nidi62 ( 1525137 )

      Obviously all lives matter but some people are being killed without consequences and most of those are not blue or white. If your cousin's husband/wife dies and they ask for sympathy you don't say "everyone dies, not just your spouse," at least not unless you lack empathy. You should think about the consequences.

      So, the key here is that there is some misinterpretation (some of it willful misinterpretation) of what the phrase "black lives matter" means. It must be understood, as you correctly state, in the context of "black lives matter too", while those against it are seeing it as "only black lives matter" or "black lives matter more", both of which are incorrect. All they are trying to accomplish is to remind people that for a long time black people have been treated by those in power as if they are an underclas

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Bert64 ( 520050 )

      If you look more closely, you will see that inequality in the US boils down to wealth and not race.

      If you are poor, you have significantly less opportunities than someone from a more affluent background. And in many cases, someone growing up poor will have negative influences from their peers.
      Although the US does provide opportunities for the poorest people to advance in society and improve themselves, these opportunities are only available to those who work extremely hard. Many of the poor are unwilling to

  • Last time I checked, "race" as a required qualification was discrimination, and goes against anti-discrimination laws basically everywhere.

  • Will this mean an end to the idiocy that pervades the entire operation? What they present as "tech support" are semi-sentient blockheads with very occasional instances of intelligence. They have little to no respect for the drivers, regardless of the driver's race.

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • Anti-racism is a trap. It is a mind virus that casts everything in terms of race, even when it isn't... to the exclusion of all other thought.

    It's a cult.

  • Does Uber provide exemplary protection to Whistle blowers ?

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