I'm glad there is a new model to compete with taxis, but the business practices of Uber itself are pretty bad - worse than a lot of other firms.

That said, the political overreaction to protect the taxi cartels doesn't benefit the public either. Hopefully, a few reputable players using the newer model will flourish, and government will settle upon a reasonable way to regulate that doesn't stifle the competition or the business model that is changing the market to begin with.

I've used UberX a couple times...to/from airports...and had no issues. I realize that the data they have on me is not worth much to anyone, but I'm a bit disturbed that they've stated that they are very willing to use the data they have for pretty much any reason including attacking opponents or critics. (Presumably through blackmail or publicly revealing where and when certain users ride.) What if I get into an Uber in a strange city, take a ride to a restaurant, and later find out that the neighborhood I went to has a reputation for illegal activities? Uber's made it clear: it'll use that against you if you are seen as a critic of theirs.

Perhaps the regulation needed is more about how private companies use data and less about the rides and rates Uber charges.