
FCC slaps Lyft with citation for calling and texting customers - ryan_j_naughton
http://www.morningticker.com/2015/09/fcc-slaps-lyft-with-citation-for-calling-and-texting-customers/
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empressplay
This startup culture of "begging forgiveness rather than asking permission"
has really got to stop -- if only because it's impolite.

Edit: I also worry about where the line actually is when there is no line.
What if a startup takes advantage of children? Is that crossing the line? I
mean, when paying fines is part of your business model, everything short of
whatever might send you to jail is fair game, isn't it? That makes me
uncomfortable.

~~~
ejcx
Why? If Uber and lyft did this from the beginning, they would have never
lasted a week.

"Turns out we can't operate like a Taxi". "Turns out we are actually supposed
to be treating the drivers as employees". "Turns out we are supposed to be
vetting these drivers more extensively".

If uber and lyft asked permission they simply wouldn't exist.

~~~
raverbashing
Correct

Still, you want to limit your liability.

Not following FCC rules seems a stupid and pointless transgression

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HiYaBarbie
> Not following FCC rules seems a stupid and pointless transgression

Perhaps unless the FCC rules themselves are pointless?

The reason why Uber and Lyft are given a hard time is that they're a serious
threat to state-maintained taxi-cartels all over the world.

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DanBC
> The reason why Uber and Lyft are given a hard time is that they're a serious
> threat to state-maintained taxi-cartels all over the world.

No, they're given a hard time because they ignore regulation like driver
background checks or insurance or calibrated tamper proof meters.

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HiYaBarbie
> _No, they 're given a hard time because they ignore regulation like driver
> background checks or insurance or calibrated tamper proof meters._

"Ignoring regulations" in this context basically boils down to "competing with
taxi cartels". That's obviously upsetting to the cartels, and unhappy noises
are made about background checks and meters, as if those potential problems
could only be solved with a cartel.

We both know that Uber & Lyft drivers give better service overall than taxi
drivers overall. That's because Uber and Lyft are not part of a cartel, and
have to therefore please their customers lest they lose them.

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Animats
From the article: _" Even though the company’s terms say that a user can opt
out of robocalls and texts simply by using “provided unsubscribe options,” the
investigation by the FCC found that the company does not actually have these
options available."_

Lame.

Getting ad robocalls and texts on mobile phones is really annoying, totally
unacceptable, and illegal.

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bediger4000
Getting robocalls anywhere is illegal, but that doesn't stop "Anne" or
"Rachel" from "Cardholder Services". The FCC hasn't cracked down on that
festering hive of illegality, so why is it bothering with Lyft? Which
Important Person wants to count coup on Lyft?

