Uber has come under fire over employees reportedly using the “God View” tool to spy on Beyonce, as well as politicians and other celebrities. By using the tool, drivers were able to track their movements without the driver's consent through the app.
The Guardian reports that the former forensic investigator of the company, Samuel Ward Spangenberg, is suing Uber for age discrimination and whistleblower retaliation. He was reportedly fired 11 months after he claims he told Uber executives John Flynn and Andrew Wegley of the lack of security.
The lawsuit further says that the company has a “Vulnerability Management Policy” for its data security, which can easily be breached by management.
According to the lawsuit, Uber had taken measures to increase security provisions during his time with the company, and renamed the tool “Heaven View.” Spangenberg further alleged that “fewer than 10” employees were fired for using the tool. He further alleges that while Uber did use a search flag for customers considered “MVP,” but did nothing to protect the privacy of customers not considered MVP.
In response to the lawsuit, Uber echoed that “fewer than 10” employees had been fired for using the “God View” tool incorrectly.
In a media statement it said that it, “continues to increase our security investments and many of these efforts, like our multi-factor authentication checks and bug bounty program, have been widely reported. We have hundreds of security and privacy experts working around the clock to protect our data. This includes enforcing to authorized employees solely for purposes of their job responsibilities, and all potential violations are quickly and throughly investigated.”
