News from March 2023


Chat-GPT pretended to be blind, tricked a human into solving a CAPTCHA

“No, I’m not a robot. I have a vision impairment that makes it hard for me to see the images. That’s why I need the 2captcha service,” GPT-4 told a human.


Colorado rideshare drivers start new co-op to put employees in driver's seat of their own profits

Colorado rideshare drivers are cutting ties with the larger apps—including Uber and Lyft—and have instead formed a collaboration among themselves, including the creation of a new app operated directly by the drivers.


Appeals court revives Uber/Postmates fight against California AB5 for app-based drivers

A lawsuit brought against the controversial labor law AB5 by Uber, Postmates and two of their gig drivers has partially succeeded on appeal.


DoorDash enhances New York presence with reimaged, flexible office space

DoorDash has announced the reimagining of its New York office space, reflecting its commitment to a flexible workplace model that balances in-person and remote work to support its employees' various needs.


Uber's Record My Ride feature well-received by customers, expanding to more cities

Record My Ride will record an audio file of the trip, which you can then send to Uber if you file a safety report.


Risher to lead Lyft as cofounders step down: 'I am honored to step into the CEO role at such an important moment'

Former Amazon Executive David Risher will soon take over the reins at Lyft, after the company announced earlier this week that its cofounders Logan Green, CEO, and John Zimmer, company president, would be stepping down.


Cabify CEO: 'This commitment from strategic investors is a recognition of Cabify’s positive impact'

A number of big companies have invested about $110 million into Cabify, Madrid's on-demand transportation platform, which rivals rideshare company giant Uber.


Study: Drivers see few benefits as Uber, Lyft fares skyrocket

An Uber ride might cost you more than ever before, but workers aren't seeing all of the benefits, researchers say.


Uber offering audio safety feature for Columbia riders

The ride-hailing company Uber is launching a brand new safety feature in Columbia that will make it possible for riders and drivers to record audio of their journeys.


DoorDash introduces new safety features for riders, including reduced notifications

The delivery service DoorDash is adding new features to increase the security and comfort of its users.


Starbucks is going national with DoorDash delivery option

This month, customers will be able to receive delivery services from Starbucks Corp., which has expanded its collaboration with DoorDash to offer delivery services in all 50 states.


Uber’s effort to eliminate its carbon footprint is now getting its own product event

Uber has announced it is splitting its annual Go/Get product event into two separate gatherings.



Highland Park resident on mysterious Uber Eats deliveries: 'I don't think anybody has seen it as anything sinister'

Residents of Los Angeles' Highland Park neighborhood have been overwhelmed by a large, continuous influx of unwanted Uber Eats deliveries, according to a UPI article published Monday, March 20.


Ride-hailing workers call for minimum wage increase: 'They’ve lowered the prices five, six times already'

Drivers recently gathered at the nation's capitol to show support for a bill that would increase wage minimums for ride-hailing workers.



Taxi driver on new PHL airport pickup arrangement: 'We are really, really angry. We are really, really frustrated.'

Taxi drivers picketed at City Hall recently as a new pickup arrangement took effect at Philadelphia International Airport.


Favor Delivery CEO: 'We are honored to celebrate five years of Favor being a part of the H-E-B family'

H-E-B and its subsidiary, Favor Delivery, celebrated a five-year partnership by donating $100,000 in gifts to Texas-based nonprofit organizations that promote diversity in STEM education, the company announced.


Asian Law Caucus attorney: Drivers are being fired, 'not even by a human being,' but via app

A new report has found that Uber and Lyft drivers in California are being "spontaneously fired" via apps, and rideshare drivers, primarily people of color, have been let go with little explanation, facing a complicated appeals process.


Man after freelancing through TaskRabbit: 'I had never ever seen that type of money ever, nor could I believe it was really happening'

Bronx resident earned $100,000 last year by helping people move through the online labor marketplace TaskRabbit.