Uber Faces Another Privacy Complaint - Tracking Users After Leaving Car?By Amanda Warren Unfortunately, the admiration bumps up against hesitation with fears of surveillance and tracking via its state-of-the-art software. That technology may have led to a $200+ million investment by Google last year. It was rumored that the investment would go towards expansion into person-to-person delivery service, but so far those dreams are unrealized. Last Monday, after catching wind of an anticipated privacy policy change, a privacy-rights organization is joining up with the Federal Trade Commission to contest Ubers alleged desire to track and collect user data. Newsfactor has just reported: In a 23-page complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission, the Electronic Privacy Information Center called for the agency to investigate Uber and halt possible privacy invasions ahead of a revised policy set to take effect July 15. Ubers revised privacy policy creates several risks for American consumers, said EPIC in its complaint. Uber adamantly denies the charge and says that the complaint has no basis and that users would be in control of how they release personal information. The company promised that the privacy statement would be simpler, easier to read and clearly state the users privacy boundaries as far as data collection goes. But if there is a basis to EPICs complaint, than it is a big one. Newsfactor continues: The biggest concern for EPIC, a Washington D.C.-based research center, is that Uber will collect location data from passengers even after they arrive at their destinations, as the Uber app can track GPS data if left running in the background of an iPhone, or other iOS device. Even users who turn off their GPS location finder could still be found through their phone IP address, which the privacy policy says offers a unique identifier for each user. EPIC also claims that Uber will be able to access passengers contact lists, which it could use to send out promotional ads. Such practices would not comprise new parts of the privacy policy. Rather, they are existing data collection possibilities that have come under scrutiny after Uber revised its policy May 28, with the intent, it said, to be jargon-free and clear to readers. [] According to EPIC, Uber tracked the location of journalists reporting on the company who had used its app, and one employee shared that data within the company. Other employees had turned on God View, an internal program, to track customers without their knowledge. The FTC, so far, remains silent on any further action. Uber stands by the software and user-privacy. It acknowledges the softwares potential for tracking and gathering data like contact lists but says that it remains with the users to allow permission to access that data or not. How that user-control takes place is a mystery until July 15. What is your prediction? Is Uber a victim of free market circumstance and remains for the people, or is it becoming a new arm of corpramental Big Brother? Do you trust them? Leave your comments below and share the discourse. Recently fromAmanda Warren: Theyre watching you http://rhymeafterrhyme.net/theyre-watching-me-but-whos-watching-them/ Will, its certainly true 