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Ben Smith Emil Michael Uber

Uber exec driven to apologise after suggesting digging up dirt on critical journalist

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By John McCarthy, Opinion Editor

November 18, 2014 | 3 min read

A top Uber executive has issued an apology after he was caught on the record suggesting that the company should dig up dirt on journalists who are critical of the company.

Uber

Uber exec threatens to investigate journalist

Emil Michael, senior vice president of business for Uber, was overheard by a Buzzfeed editor, claiming he would spend “a million dollars” to hire four investigators and four journalists to combat critics of the company by looking into “[their] personal lives and [their] families”.

The comments, reportedly made at a dinner last Friday at Manhattan’s Waverly Inn, were sparked by an article by Sarah Lacy, the editor of the Silicon Valley’s PandoDaily news site, in which she said she deleted the app from her phone, accusing the firm of “sexism and misogyny” for working with a French escort service.

Michael suggested that if French escorts stopped using the service as a result of her article then she should be held “personally responsible” for any women who are sexually assaulted for snubbing the app.

Ben Smith, Buzzfeed reporter wrote: "Then [Michael] returned to the opposition research plan. Uber’s dirt-diggers, Michael said, could expose Lacy. They could, in particular, prove a particular and very specific claim about her personal life. [Adding] Nobody would know it was us."

Michael issued a statement: “The remarks attributed to me at a private dinner - borne out of frustration during an informal debate over what I feel is sensationalistic media coverage of the company I am proud to work for - do not reflect my actual views and have no relation to the company’s views or approach. They were wrong no matter the circumstance and I regret them.”

Furthermore, Uber said it does not intrude on the personal lives of its critics, despite having access to the travel logs of journalists using the app.

This comes after the Uber chief executive, earlier this month admitted he sabotaged fare-rival Lyft's fundraiser by telling potential investors to hold out for Uber's round.

Ben Smith Emil Michael Uber

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