Uber Releases First-Ever Transparency Report for Second Half of 2015

Uber said it received 415 state and federal law enforcement requests for information for criminal investigations during the second half of 2015, but it hasn't gotten a national security letter or Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act order request. Uber released its first-ever transparency report Tuesday, showing the scope of information it has released to law enforcement agencies and state and local regulators. Uber said it provided at least some data for 85 percent of the law enforcement requests, of which the majority were from state authorities. "A large number of the law enforcement requests we receive are related to fraud investigations or the use of stolen credit cards," the company said. "Since we move people from A to B, we also respond to requests about rider or driver safety and ensure that law enforcement officers get the information they need through the appropriate legal channels in a timely fashion." Uber also said it responded to 33 requests from state and local regulatory agencies such as in California on information about trips, trip requests, pickup and drop-off areas, fares, vehicles, and drivers in their jurisdictions for a given time period and electronic trip receipts. The requests involved trip data for nearly 12 million riders and nearly 600,000 drivers. Plus, the company responded to 34 requests from airport authorities that regulate transportation services. With limited exceptions, Uber said it requires a "valid and sufficient legal process" from government before disclosing information about customers and asks for"narrowly tailored" requests if they are "overly broad, vague or unreasonable requests."