In U-turn, Uber will stop using 'Greyball' secret tool to evade law enforcement

Uber will stop using its "Greyball" tool to evade law enforcement efforts, the ride-hail company announced Wednesday, just days after it defended the controversial program as necessary to protect its drivers from harm. "We have started a review of the different ways this technology has been used to date," Uber's chief security officer Joe Sullivan wrote in a blog post. "In addition, we are expressly prohibiting its use to target action by local regulators going forward." Uber's backtracking comes less than a week after the New York Times revealed that the company had been serving up an alternative (and non-functioning) version of its app to public officials in cities where its service violated regulations. It also comes shortly after the company reversed course on applying for a permit to test self-driving cars in California.