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Uberland: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Rules of Work
Silicon Valley technology is transforming the way we work, and Uber is leading the charge. An American startup that promised to deliver entrepreneurship for the masses through its technology, Uber instead built a new template for employment using algorithms and Internet platforms. Upending our understanding of work in the digital age, Uberland paints a future where any of us might be managed by a faceless boss. The neutral language of technology masks the powerful influence algorithms have across the New Economy. Uberland chronicles the stories of drivers in more than twenty-five cities in the United States and Canada over four years, shedding light on their working conditions and providing a window into how they feel behind the wheel. The book also explores Uber’s outsized influence around the the billion-dollar company is now influencing everything from debates about sexual harassment and transportation regulations to racial equality campaigns and labor rights initiatives. Based on award-winning technology ethnographer Alex Rosenblat’s firsthand experience of riding over 5,000 miles with Uber drivers, daily visits to online forums, and face-to-face discussions with senior Uber employees, Uberland goes beyond the headlines to reveal the complicated politics of popular technologies that are manipulating both workers and consumers.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2018
55 people are currently reading
798 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
May 25, 2019
This would’ve been a nice informative book had it consisted of 40-50 pages. Instead, author repeats the same 4-5 main ideas many times throughout the book. Even though chapters have different names, it’s the same ideas, over and over, sometimes even using the same language.
February 6, 2019
I admit that I started the book as a skeptic - how can a few conversations with some drivers really give an in-depth depiction of the behemoth that is Uber and the collective experience of its massive driver base?
I ended up finding the book to be incredibly thoughtful about the impact of Uber on society, technology, and work, and I appreciated the many anecdotes Alex Rosenblat used to bring drivers to life. In many ways, the book confirmed much of the feeling I have always had about Uber and the ridehailing industry at large - the spoils of this new form of transportation have gone largely to the employees and executives at Uber HQ. Consumers have certainly benefited but drivers by far have gotten the short end of the stick.
This book is worth a read and actually moves along quite quickly. The author does a great job of balancing what is still clearly a very "current" topic with a deep dive into the history, current dynamics, and implications for the future. I hope this helps change some minds so that people understand the types of people who drive for Uber (and companies like it, e.g., Postmates, DoorDash, etc.) so that the companies that we herald can be held accountable to treat the humans who help enable their success with dignity, fairness, and living wages.
I ended up finding the book to be incredibly thoughtful about the impact of Uber on society, technology, and work, and I appreciated the many anecdotes Alex Rosenblat used to bring drivers to life. In many ways, the book confirmed much of the feeling I have always had about Uber and the ridehailing industry at large - the spoils of this new form of transportation have gone largely to the employees and executives at Uber HQ. Consumers have certainly benefited but drivers by far have gotten the short end of the stick.
This book is worth a read and actually moves along quite quickly. The author does a great job of balancing what is still clearly a very "current" topic with a deep dive into the history, current dynamics, and implications for the future. I hope this helps change some minds so that people understand the types of people who drive for Uber (and companies like it, e.g., Postmates, DoorDash, etc.) so that the companies that we herald can be held accountable to treat the humans who help enable their success with dignity, fairness, and living wages.
November 27, 2018
**DRAFT**
The sharing economy popularized wider changes to work culture by conflating work with altruistic contrubutions, bringing into question the identity of workers and devaluing work itself.
Uberland is a book about how transport network companies, under the guise of being technology companies, are changing labor rights and the nature of work. Alex Rosenblat interviewed hundreds of drivers across the U.S and Canada to provide an ethnographic account of the lives of Uber drivers and the how the algorithmic boss leaves drivers feeling like they can't catch up to the system. The algorithmic boss puts drivers in charge of wage collection and can play with the fares to obscure the amount due to the driver. The company also conceals the cost of driving an Uber through questionable marketing tactics. Uber defines both drivers and passengers as users of the system, and cares about the user that makes it money. Uber's UI made this apparent by providing riders with a timer to see how long the car will wait but not one for the driver to know how long they should be waiting before they are eligible to get the cancellation fee.
Rosenblat makes a case that Uber's success comes by undermining the rule of law, pitting various stakeholders against each other, and with doublespeak. This book should be a reference to transportation researchers who study TNCs from the perspective of the end user and not the provider of the service. Uberland also made me think about how many of the practices that Uber uses are being used by other platforms that provide workers and fail to recognize them as so. In being slow to regulate, and biting the bait with Uber's self definition as a technology company and not an employer, we risk the norms of work becoming inhumane.
--
November 2018
February 17, 2021
The book was okay, but she’s working for Uber now, so going back and changing it from three stars to one for having no ethics.
March 22, 2020
Extremely repetitive. It felt like the author was trying to say the same thing in a lot of different ways in many different chapters. A lot of the information and occurrences are very interesting but are also outdated since Uber changed its policies.
I think, instead of solely focusing on Uber, should've focused on how technology and the gig economy creates weird and annoying employment situations and used Uber as a prime example. That might've gotten the point across better. Otherwise, the book was an entertaining and insightful read, with lots of great anecdotes and examples. It will be hard for me to call an Uber ever again.
I think, instead of solely focusing on Uber, should've focused on how technology and the gig economy creates weird and annoying employment situations and used Uber as a prime example. That might've gotten the point across better. Otherwise, the book was an entertaining and insightful read, with lots of great anecdotes and examples. It will be hard for me to call an Uber ever again.
October 26, 2018
This was a solid book that took an examination of Uber, as well as expanding to reference a number of companies facilitating the 'gig economy'. The conclusion of the book was nuanced. Although there have been a number of people unhappy at this growing job class, and it is primarily insufficient for full-time employment due to tragedy of the commons, these jobs have served well for supplemental income or those looking for flexible schedules.
The takeaway is that the value of flexible 'gig-like' jobs are likely to grow in popularity over time, and we should think critically about their effects to local and national economies to make sure individuals aren't getting screwed.
The takeaway is that the value of flexible 'gig-like' jobs are likely to grow in popularity over time, and we should think critically about their effects to local and national economies to make sure individuals aren't getting screwed.
December 3, 2018
Impressive fieldwork, very readable, highly recommended to get an insight into the everyday challenges of Uber drivers & gig economy.
November 18, 2018
Great account of a thorough research project about how drivers from Uber (and Lyft) experience their work, and what that means for labor and its definition. Really useful and provides potential answers to bigger picture questions of how work has changed and why, and more detailed issues of the mechanics of tech-enabled jobs and if they are well defined.
February 6, 2019
Rosenblat, "a technology ethnographer" (based on BA in History and an MA in sociology) has written a book that explores how Uber and other smart businesses used algorithms to disrupt the marketplace. Looking closely at Uber's business model she spent a couple of years riding with Uber drivers to understand how the company and its drivers interacts and how they don't always agree about how to understand the other. While the premise is interesting, her methodology is really more journalistic than research based.
"This is a book about how Uber created a fundamental cultural shirt in what it means to be employed. It is also a book about technology ideology-the stories Uber tells us about users, and the stories we tell each other about the role of technology in our lives." 4
"The company has harnessed technology to create an entirely new business logic for employment like Napster did for music and Facebook did for journalism. Uber is a symbol of the New Economy, a powerful case study illustrating how digital culture is changing the nature of work." 6
"Instead, Uberland is an exploration of how Uber and other corporate giants in Silicone Valley are redefining everything we know about work in the twenty-first century through subtle changes ushered in by technology." 19
"Between 2007 and 2009, the Great Recession and collapse of the subprime mortgage markets ravaged American households with waves of foreclosures. The collapse of financial markets challenged societal confidence in American institutions, like banking and governance, while an exodus of former homeowners shut down neighbourhoods and led to urban blight in cities like Detroit and Cleveland...Still, the greatest job losses from the Great Recession were concentrated in blue-collar industries among workers under thirty. Although the Great Recession officially ended in June 2009, its impact on unemployment persisted well into the economic recovery." 22
"Universal basic income is one form of "automation alimony" that is proposed to relieve the rising inequality often attributed to automation. It was this economic and cultural climate that the buss around "the sharing economy" began. Its promise was seductively simple. The sharing economy was a social technology movement designed to use tech to share resources more efficiently-a true "commonwealth" aimed at remedying some of the insecurity fostered by the Great Recession." 24
"Uber's platform manifests a profound tension: the company seeks to standardize work for the masses through algorithmic management while, at the same time, distancing itself from responsibility for workers." 27
"Rounds and rounds of venture capital funding bolstered Uber and Airbnb, the two most successful companies to emerge from the sharing-economy period." 27-28
"For some critics, the disruption ethos of technology-often summarized as "move fast, break things" and "don't ask permission; ask forgiveness later"-eerily echoes rape culture, where entitlement and privilege supersede consent." 175
"This is a book about how Uber created a fundamental cultural shirt in what it means to be employed. It is also a book about technology ideology-the stories Uber tells us about users, and the stories we tell each other about the role of technology in our lives." 4
"The company has harnessed technology to create an entirely new business logic for employment like Napster did for music and Facebook did for journalism. Uber is a symbol of the New Economy, a powerful case study illustrating how digital culture is changing the nature of work." 6
"Instead, Uberland is an exploration of how Uber and other corporate giants in Silicone Valley are redefining everything we know about work in the twenty-first century through subtle changes ushered in by technology." 19
"Between 2007 and 2009, the Great Recession and collapse of the subprime mortgage markets ravaged American households with waves of foreclosures. The collapse of financial markets challenged societal confidence in American institutions, like banking and governance, while an exodus of former homeowners shut down neighbourhoods and led to urban blight in cities like Detroit and Cleveland...Still, the greatest job losses from the Great Recession were concentrated in blue-collar industries among workers under thirty. Although the Great Recession officially ended in June 2009, its impact on unemployment persisted well into the economic recovery." 22
"Universal basic income is one form of "automation alimony" that is proposed to relieve the rising inequality often attributed to automation. It was this economic and cultural climate that the buss around "the sharing economy" began. Its promise was seductively simple. The sharing economy was a social technology movement designed to use tech to share resources more efficiently-a true "commonwealth" aimed at remedying some of the insecurity fostered by the Great Recession." 24
"Uber's platform manifests a profound tension: the company seeks to standardize work for the masses through algorithmic management while, at the same time, distancing itself from responsibility for workers." 27
"Rounds and rounds of venture capital funding bolstered Uber and Airbnb, the two most successful companies to emerge from the sharing-economy period." 27-28
"For some critics, the disruption ethos of technology-often summarized as "move fast, break things" and "don't ask permission; ask forgiveness later"-eerily echoes rape culture, where entitlement and privilege supersede consent." 175
November 21, 2018
This was pretty good. The book made me think about Uber and the ramifications of its business model more deeply and raised my awareness of the plight of "independent contractors" in the sharing economy, as the conclusions drawn can be applied to other similar companies.
I parsed out a few key ideas, in random order:
1) Uber's classification of drivers as independent contractors is highly dubious and enables them to shirk labor laws, and their focus on "sharing" without acknowledging that driving for Uber is many people's full-time job devalues work
2) Uber sees itself as a technology company, not a taxi company, which demonstrates the rampant technological exceptionalism in Silicon Valley these days and again enables them to escape the strict laws governing the taxi industry in most places
3) the decentralization of the platform means it's difficult for drivers to get together and compare notes/unionize, which is important because
4) things like A/B testing and algorithmically determined incentives mean that drivers are paid differently and receive different promotions depending on a whole host of factors
5) these algorithms make Uber's call to "be your own boss" ring hollow since they control drivers' decisions to a large extent
6) Uber's taking advantage of its position in the middle to pocket an increasingly large cut of the profits, charging customers more while paying drivers less, and changing the amount they charge based on what data says the customer is willing to pay
7) the fact that there are different kinds of drivers (full-time, part-time, hobbyist) weakens the full-timers' ability to lobby for their interests because the others aren't as invested
8) Uber has sunk its tentacles into all aspects of society and established connections with a diverse set of highly visible institutions, making it even easier for it to chameleon its way out of legal action against it, and it relies on this goodwill to keep getting away with what it does
9) drivers are working way longer hours than before to make ends meet, and have to take on a service-industry style role to appease the customer (providing water, being patient with rude customers, etc.) as a result of the rating system, and often take on the unpaid responsibility of mediating between the company and the passengers
And more. It was just too repetitive for me, however. I feel like the book could have been condensed into half its length. More than a few times, I saw phrases that were repeated almost verbatim, and the structure of the book was haphazard. The end was rushed, and she sped through the recent controversies. Felt almost like nobody had carefully edited it, maybe in the haste to get it to press. But it's worth reading for the anecdotes.
I parsed out a few key ideas, in random order:
1) Uber's classification of drivers as independent contractors is highly dubious and enables them to shirk labor laws, and their focus on "sharing" without acknowledging that driving for Uber is many people's full-time job devalues work
2) Uber sees itself as a technology company, not a taxi company, which demonstrates the rampant technological exceptionalism in Silicon Valley these days and again enables them to escape the strict laws governing the taxi industry in most places
3) the decentralization of the platform means it's difficult for drivers to get together and compare notes/unionize, which is important because
4) things like A/B testing and algorithmically determined incentives mean that drivers are paid differently and receive different promotions depending on a whole host of factors
5) these algorithms make Uber's call to "be your own boss" ring hollow since they control drivers' decisions to a large extent
6) Uber's taking advantage of its position in the middle to pocket an increasingly large cut of the profits, charging customers more while paying drivers less, and changing the amount they charge based on what data says the customer is willing to pay
7) the fact that there are different kinds of drivers (full-time, part-time, hobbyist) weakens the full-timers' ability to lobby for their interests because the others aren't as invested
8) Uber has sunk its tentacles into all aspects of society and established connections with a diverse set of highly visible institutions, making it even easier for it to chameleon its way out of legal action against it, and it relies on this goodwill to keep getting away with what it does
9) drivers are working way longer hours than before to make ends meet, and have to take on a service-industry style role to appease the customer (providing water, being patient with rude customers, etc.) as a result of the rating system, and often take on the unpaid responsibility of mediating between the company and the passengers
And more. It was just too repetitive for me, however. I feel like the book could have been condensed into half its length. More than a few times, I saw phrases that were repeated almost verbatim, and the structure of the book was haphazard. The end was rushed, and she sped through the recent controversies. Felt almost like nobody had carefully edited it, maybe in the haste to get it to press. But it's worth reading for the anecdotes.
July 8, 2019
Uberland will be of interest to anyone concerned with the future of work and the impact of tech platforms on policy. It describes Uber (as a representative of data-hungry companies, ride-hailing companies and shared economy platforms, but also as a company with its distinct culture) through five main themes:
- in context of the impact of the 2008 crisis, which has partly redefined work and what is necessary to make ends meet. And how some type of work stopped being considered as work, being re-labeled as sharing economy---hiding how it inherits and perpetuates inequalities;
- Drivers' motivations, classified in three categories: hobbyists, part-timers, and full-timers. Only the latter depend on it for their livelihood, and fully identify as workers. This lessens opportunities to unionize. Hobbyists and part-timers are especially likely to cite social relationships with riders. Time spent using the app also impacts motivations (Uber has a high turnover).
- Uber's discourse about entrepreneurship, and conversely, how drivers interpret it. Some drivers do identify as entrepreneurs, in that they can choose their own schedule, but this is far from shared.
- How Uber manages money and ride prices. The author tracks the many tweaks made to how riders and drivers are shown prices, when fees are paid and the surge mechanisms. It highlights how, even when Uber claims transparency, they manipulate prices in any way they like, tricking drivers into getting in debt without any possibility for income improvement. In short, drivers cannot form a work strategy to improve their position, which is at odd with the entrepreneurship discourse.
- the tracking of drivers and the support they receive as customers, including drivers' fears of being listened to and watched. It covers how the rating systems affect drivers unfairly, which may lessen their feeling of being part and appreciated as part of the community-based shared economy, the lack of protection from sexual harassment, etc.
- How Uber avoids or settles legal pursuits, as well as establishes many contradictory temporary alliances to further its agenda (and steals from other companies and and and). It ends up pitting people who should have shared interests against each other (such as organisations for lessening the racial divide and labor advocates), which all benefits Uber. Also covers the sexist and harassing company culture and that working for Uber is becoming a blemish on one's CV.
The book concludes by outlining that despite all this, Uber still sets the tone when it comes to the future of work and technology.
- in context of the impact of the 2008 crisis, which has partly redefined work and what is necessary to make ends meet. And how some type of work stopped being considered as work, being re-labeled as sharing economy---hiding how it inherits and perpetuates inequalities;
- Drivers' motivations, classified in three categories: hobbyists, part-timers, and full-timers. Only the latter depend on it for their livelihood, and fully identify as workers. This lessens opportunities to unionize. Hobbyists and part-timers are especially likely to cite social relationships with riders. Time spent using the app also impacts motivations (Uber has a high turnover).
- Uber's discourse about entrepreneurship, and conversely, how drivers interpret it. Some drivers do identify as entrepreneurs, in that they can choose their own schedule, but this is far from shared.
- How Uber manages money and ride prices. The author tracks the many tweaks made to how riders and drivers are shown prices, when fees are paid and the surge mechanisms. It highlights how, even when Uber claims transparency, they manipulate prices in any way they like, tricking drivers into getting in debt without any possibility for income improvement. In short, drivers cannot form a work strategy to improve their position, which is at odd with the entrepreneurship discourse.
- the tracking of drivers and the support they receive as customers, including drivers' fears of being listened to and watched. It covers how the rating systems affect drivers unfairly, which may lessen their feeling of being part and appreciated as part of the community-based shared economy, the lack of protection from sexual harassment, etc.
- How Uber avoids or settles legal pursuits, as well as establishes many contradictory temporary alliances to further its agenda (and steals from other companies and and and). It ends up pitting people who should have shared interests against each other (such as organisations for lessening the racial divide and labor advocates), which all benefits Uber. Also covers the sexist and harassing company culture and that working for Uber is becoming a blemish on one's CV.
The book concludes by outlining that despite all this, Uber still sets the tone when it comes to the future of work and technology.
September 2, 2021
I am beginning to look for books on the collision of real life with algorithms. It is usually coached in words that attempt to project the superiority of AI management, that the code is neutral. Or that it will save companies money to have AI handle people tasks. Instead of having the algorithms assist us, the humans end of assisting the algorithms. Once the algorithms have taken control, it turns into AI based slavery (SkyNet didn’t have humans willingly submit to taking orders)
_Uberland_ is a view into this world, using Uber as the societal change agent. Other players in the sharing economy also fit into this category (AirBnB is a good example). Uber changes our relationship to work and a company, using AI as their glorified reasoning for humans to adjust to the crappy working conditions. For Uber, it isn't the company taking advantage of people in dire financial situations, it is their AI creating new entrepreneurial opportunities for those willing to put in the effort. The con here is to buffer the demands to improve the system by saying the computer made the decision, so we have to follow it.
The best parts are how people and society have changed due to an app. Uber only owns code. Through an app, they were able to make people trust each other enough to allow strangers to ride in cars together. The code said it was good, so it must be. This is especially true for those that live through their phones, more attuned to the pixels on the screen than the live action world around them. It is when the author explores the results of the app on people’s lives, most of it is grim, that made me think through just how code is making us less human.
The sharing economy is simply a form of exploitation, just with better PR. Uber’s model is to have a low barrier to entry onto their platform, as their turnover rate is 70-80% per year. The business as a whole is one big scam, as in their initial public offering paperwork clearly said, though buried, that the leadership had no idea if/when it would be profitable. The initial investors needed others to buy into the vision in order to get their money out before it collapses. Once Uber dies, then what happens to the taxi infrastructure they ruined, the starved public transit they lobbied against, the drivers that pinned their futures on the app?
_Uberland_ is a view into this world, using Uber as the societal change agent. Other players in the sharing economy also fit into this category (AirBnB is a good example). Uber changes our relationship to work and a company, using AI as their glorified reasoning for humans to adjust to the crappy working conditions. For Uber, it isn't the company taking advantage of people in dire financial situations, it is their AI creating new entrepreneurial opportunities for those willing to put in the effort. The con here is to buffer the demands to improve the system by saying the computer made the decision, so we have to follow it.
The best parts are how people and society have changed due to an app. Uber only owns code. Through an app, they were able to make people trust each other enough to allow strangers to ride in cars together. The code said it was good, so it must be. This is especially true for those that live through their phones, more attuned to the pixels on the screen than the live action world around them. It is when the author explores the results of the app on people’s lives, most of it is grim, that made me think through just how code is making us less human.
The sharing economy is simply a form of exploitation, just with better PR. Uber’s model is to have a low barrier to entry onto their platform, as their turnover rate is 70-80% per year. The business as a whole is one big scam, as in their initial public offering paperwork clearly said, though buried, that the leadership had no idea if/when it would be profitable. The initial investors needed others to buy into the vision in order to get their money out before it collapses. Once Uber dies, then what happens to the taxi infrastructure they ruined, the starved public transit they lobbied against, the drivers that pinned their futures on the app?
December 31, 2020
A few weeks before the 2020 Presidential election, I caught up with a college friend over the phone: we laughed about how we had swapped places (him: going to school in Ontario by way of California; me: going to school in California by way of Ontario) and like everyone else in the United States, we got onto the topic of the election and the various state propositions: he revealed that he had met many clients who were firmly in support of Proposition 22, which would classify app-based rideshare and delivery drivers as independent contractors. It surprised me: I hadn't heard much from riders who shared the perspectives of my friend's acquaintances.
Uberland was able to provide me with a lot more nuance on who rideshare drivers are, but also great detail on the nature of Uber and the rideshare industry. Using a wide-reaching and expansive research methodology (which involved qualitative ethnographic interviews with drivers, employees, and scouring rideshare forums online), Rosenblat identified different motivations for those choosing to be rideshare drivers.
She draws a picture of how the drivers fit within the context of an industry that views workers as "end users" and using artificial intelligence to alienate workers even further from their labor, and to fit rideshare and app companies in the context of Silicon Valley, where many of these enormous tech companies include steamrolling local government to remove regulation as part of their strategy.
In pandemic times, where corporations like Amazon have seen their wealth increase exponentially, Uberland prompts much pause for reflection in considering how these technology companies have been allowed to act with such impropriety (and to essentially buy influence and regulation as per Prop 22) when many BIPOC individuals would never have the same grace extended to them."Uber was flouting California's rules in 2015," writes Rosenblat, "Whereas two years earlier, Eric Garner was choked to death by police-- allegedly for selling loose cigarettes."
Uberland was able to provide me with a lot more nuance on who rideshare drivers are, but also great detail on the nature of Uber and the rideshare industry. Using a wide-reaching and expansive research methodology (which involved qualitative ethnographic interviews with drivers, employees, and scouring rideshare forums online), Rosenblat identified different motivations for those choosing to be rideshare drivers.
She draws a picture of how the drivers fit within the context of an industry that views workers as "end users" and using artificial intelligence to alienate workers even further from their labor, and to fit rideshare and app companies in the context of Silicon Valley, where many of these enormous tech companies include steamrolling local government to remove regulation as part of their strategy.
In pandemic times, where corporations like Amazon have seen their wealth increase exponentially, Uberland prompts much pause for reflection in considering how these technology companies have been allowed to act with such impropriety (and to essentially buy influence and regulation as per Prop 22) when many BIPOC individuals would never have the same grace extended to them."Uber was flouting California's rules in 2015," writes Rosenblat, "Whereas two years earlier, Eric Garner was choked to death by police-- allegedly for selling loose cigarettes."
February 12, 2024
Summary:
Taking Uber as an example, the author examines how companies based on gig economy, sharing economy and technology impact our lives. Source material comes mainly from the interviews conducted by Rosenblat with Uber drivers in Canada and the US.
The book touches upon the following topics:
1. The rise of Uber in the context of sharing economy.
2. The motivation of Uber drivers (hobbyists, part-timers, full-timers).
3. Uber's official storytelling vs reality.
4. Uber's tech-mediated transactions: what data is collected and how it is used.
5. Uber's algorithmic management.
6. Alliances Uber makes with competing stakeholders.
7. Uber's legacy in the labour market, and technology.
My opinion:
I am always sceptical of books that strongly lean one way or another as opposed to presenting a more balanced view of certain phenomena. Still, the book seems to give valuable insight into the reality of Uber drivers, and, as such, I see it as an important voice in the debate. I would be curious to know how things have changed since the book was published. One would hope they truly did after Kalanick's departure.
Taking Uber as an example, the author examines how companies based on gig economy, sharing economy and technology impact our lives. Source material comes mainly from the interviews conducted by Rosenblat with Uber drivers in Canada and the US.
The book touches upon the following topics:
1. The rise of Uber in the context of sharing economy.
2. The motivation of Uber drivers (hobbyists, part-timers, full-timers).
3. Uber's official storytelling vs reality.
4. Uber's tech-mediated transactions: what data is collected and how it is used.
5. Uber's algorithmic management.
6. Alliances Uber makes with competing stakeholders.
7. Uber's legacy in the labour market, and technology.
My opinion:
I am always sceptical of books that strongly lean one way or another as opposed to presenting a more balanced view of certain phenomena. Still, the book seems to give valuable insight into the reality of Uber drivers, and, as such, I see it as an important voice in the debate. I would be curious to know how things have changed since the book was published. One would hope they truly did after Kalanick's departure.
November 14, 2018
Enjoyable read. I thought the author's perspective on algorithm-as-a-manager really painted a clear image of the new age of work and the "Avant-Boss". A pretty stark criticism of Uber through the stories of actual drivers and the legislative battles that the company has been embroiled in pretty much everywhere it has gone so far.
The author doesn't venture into making recommendations about how to actually deal with the issue, but it's hard to blame him for not having an answer to a question that doesn't have a concrete answer even through the courts (and would it matter, given the contempt he describes Uber to have towards
"old age" power standing in the way of its disruption and innovation).
I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a better glimpse into something that has become largely ubiquitous in "ride-hailing". It certainly changed and informed my perspective on these services as a consumer.
The author doesn't venture into making recommendations about how to actually deal with the issue, but it's hard to blame him for not having an answer to a question that doesn't have a concrete answer even through the courts (and would it matter, given the contempt he describes Uber to have towards
"old age" power standing in the way of its disruption and innovation).
I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a better glimpse into something that has become largely ubiquitous in "ride-hailing". It certainly changed and informed my perspective on these services as a consumer.
May 21, 2019
If you live in the modern world, there is a high chance that you have heard of Uber. This book does an interesting slice into the Uber's "disruptive-ness" in the modern world.
Using a mix of different research methodologies and interviews (covered in his Appendix), Alex Rosenblat documents the various practices that Uber has adopted and shifted across these few years, leading up to the exit of their founder, Travis Kalanick. This book definitely holds no punches, and the tone has been negative on Uber right from the start.
That said, what I like about this book is how Alex brings up how other tech firms are equally using technology in ways that could be very undesirable to our societies, highlighting the problem that algorithm abuse on our society isn't just an Uber problem, but more so as a Silicon Valley culture problem among these immensely large tech boys.
Highly recommended read for anyone interested in Uber and the impact of technology in our modern social fabric.
Using a mix of different research methodologies and interviews (covered in his Appendix), Alex Rosenblat documents the various practices that Uber has adopted and shifted across these few years, leading up to the exit of their founder, Travis Kalanick. This book definitely holds no punches, and the tone has been negative on Uber right from the start.
That said, what I like about this book is how Alex brings up how other tech firms are equally using technology in ways that could be very undesirable to our societies, highlighting the problem that algorithm abuse on our society isn't just an Uber problem, but more so as a Silicon Valley culture problem among these immensely large tech boys.
Highly recommended read for anyone interested in Uber and the impact of technology in our modern social fabric.
March 8, 2019
When you have a researcher which goes knee deep into her subject. You know you are getting quality journalism and Alex R does exactly that. Succinctly placing Uber and its hailstorm of a brand into the grinder. Spewing out its idiosyncratic, hypocritical approach to capitalism. Nudging the distasteful technological ideology it espouses to the limelight. Of course with the obnoxious Travis at its ill fated CEO it's bound to be be a catastrophe. But what Uber portends is the shaking foundations of what the salaried worker is entitled to. How politics and starry eyed optimism clouds what is already a vortex of unceasing discomfort of potential loss jobs to AI. How the new economics is sending Silicon Valleys hubris to new heights of unknown.
April 1, 2019
Really interesting book and something that applies to lots of other similar industries that fall within the same trend as Uber. The author really cuts through the rhetoric and ideas at the heart of Uber's model, that it is a technology company rather than a taxi company, and that the drivers are self employed contractors. And how it uses the fluidity of these definitions to be what it needs to be in different circumstances to evade responsibilities.
It can be a little frustrating as most of the experience with changes in uber functionality or fares is anecdotal and speculative and you want to find out how it works and how it is manipulated; but as there is no access to uber's data or algorithms it's all that can be done, and you can't fault the author for that.
It can be a little frustrating as most of the experience with changes in uber functionality or fares is anecdotal and speculative and you want to find out how it works and how it is manipulated; but as there is no access to uber's data or algorithms it's all that can be done, and you can't fault the author for that.
January 16, 2020
Although the concept of it seemed interesting at first, I can’t help but be disappointed upon finishing this book. The author repeats the same 3 or 4 ideas throughout the entire book, and doesn’t bother expanding much more on them. Sometimes felt like I was reading a badly written essay by a middle schooler who was trying to hit the word count. What also disappointed me was how biased the whole thing was, which I can somewhat understand but was still incredibly annoying. Only showing one side of what is happening and calling it “sociology and economics research” seems like a reach. Would not recommend this book.
March 21, 2020
Em 10 anos, a Uber criou inúmeras inovações nos meios de transporte, forçou a atualização de antiquadas normas e regulações, expandiu o conceito de “economia compartilhada”, (re)definiu convenções trabalhistas e atingiu USD 70 bilhões em valor de mercado.
Também protagonizou escândalos envolvendo assédio moral e sexual, espionagem industrial, infração de leis trabalhistas, fraudes em fiscalização em cidades onde era proibido de operar, sexismo, vazamento de dados de clientes.
Na imaginação popular, a Uber é o futuro do trabalho.
Uberland é um livro bastante denso e que provoca sérias reflexões sobre o impacto social destas mudanças no mundo do trabalho. É uma excelente leitura.
Também protagonizou escândalos envolvendo assédio moral e sexual, espionagem industrial, infração de leis trabalhistas, fraudes em fiscalização em cidades onde era proibido de operar, sexismo, vazamento de dados de clientes.
Na imaginação popular, a Uber é o futuro do trabalho.
Uberland é um livro bastante denso e que provoca sérias reflexões sobre o impacto social destas mudanças no mundo do trabalho. É uma excelente leitura.
February 1, 2023
While the book is a bit dated, and many things have changed by way of tech and regulations, etc. it is also worth noticing (and worrying over!) that many a times that were brought up in this book continue to remain a big concern. Things like data privacy, or the platform-induced information asymmetry leading to power aymmerty in favor the digital platforms is indeed a growing concern that will surely see more discussions (and increased regulations!) in the coming time.
I recommend the book to anyone interested in learning about the impact of digital platforms on jobs, economy and the society at large.
I recommend the book to anyone interested in learning about the impact of digital platforms on jobs, economy and the society at large.
February 4, 2019
Really helpful book to understand how Silicon Valley tech companies are disrupting society’s understanding of what work is, the relationships between employer and worker, and all the subsequent ramifications of these shifts. Lots of worthwhile things to think about not just about these companies on a philosophical level but about also as someone who consumes these products as a rider. Writing is OK; there’s a lot of repetition that I think could be removed if the narrative was reorganized/restructured.
March 22, 2021
It's amazing how content of an article length material is pumped up to a book size. The book is terribly repetitive—almost verbatim—without any proper research or analysis apart from anecdotes and repurpusing of online posts by opinionated drivers to suite the narrative. The author herself is very opinionated and vague. BTW, she went to work for Uber and basically became a part of the system that exploits drivers.
It's not worth to waste time reading this blob of vague painfully blown to book size collection of opinions and anecdotes.
It's not worth to waste time reading this blob of vague painfully blown to book size collection of opinions and anecdotes.
December 15, 2021
Extenso ejercicio de investigación hace la autora sobre el universo Uber y la nueva tipología de negocio digital. Comprende desde el por que la gente entra en Uber hasta de que manera los usuarios lo utilizamos. No es un libro crítico con Uber porque no denota animadversión hacia la compañía, lo que si hace es poner en duda el modelo de sociedad hacia el que nos dirigimos. Muy interesante y detallada la información sobre el algoritmo.
Lo recomiendo a los “techies” que se preocupan por el futuro de nuestra sociedad!!
Lo recomiendo a los “techies” que se preocupan por el futuro de nuestra sociedad!!
April 19, 2022
Both scathing and fair. Critical and nuanced.
And then Uber hired the author in 2021 after failed attempts to do so during her research which lead to this book and other media about Uber she's published.
If you read this book, you'll see why they wanted her voice under their wing. This book cracked open and picked apart the whole Uber phenomenon in a way I found helpful, interesting, and informative.
And then Uber hired the author in 2021 after failed attempts to do so during her research which lead to this book and other media about Uber she's published.
If you read this book, you'll see why they wanted her voice under their wing. This book cracked open and picked apart the whole Uber phenomenon in a way I found helpful, interesting, and informative.
November 22, 2018
This is was a fascinating read. I think this would pair really well with The View from Flyover Country by Sarah Kendzior. That Uber views itself as a technology company rather than a transportation company so that it can circumvent laws has redefined the economy and the definition of an employee. Something we should all think about.
December 31, 2018
Tons of information from the perspective of drivers, a lot of which is new and intriguing for me because I only know Uberland as a passenger (and a tech hobbyist). It reminds me the possibility of corporate tyranny (or more specifically, tech corp tyranny) that is shaping the society in its own way without letting people know.
October 8, 2023
I don’t think it’s up for debate that Uber is an evil company anymore. This book does a good job of providing examples of that, but at times it felt like too many examples to prove a point. I know the author had a gathered lot of evidence through interviews and research, but I think being more selective with that evidence would have helped here.
December 30, 2019
A researcher's take on uber's morally corrupt practices and underbelly of the big billion valuation.
You will see notions like Intellectual property, ownership, liability, role of mediator in new light.
You will see notions like Intellectual property, ownership, liability, role of mediator in new light.
March 1, 2020
People should not have be free to exchange what they own, it's the preachers who should decide who sells what to whom. And this mentality goes back to the dark ages, usually individuals who have nothing to give so they latch on the people's fears.
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