Uber Has an Antitrust Litigation Problem, Not an Antitrust Problem

 
May 01, 2018
Competition Policy International’s Antitrust Chronicle

Uber is roughly a decade old since its humble beginnings as an idea to help people get rides when they struggled to hail taxis. Today Uber hasbecome a staple of transportation globally, aiding both those in need of rides, as well as those in need of a convenient way to earn some extraincome. The app connects those that have cars and time with those who need rides, and it has faced many legal challenges since its inception. Perhaps its legal struggles are due in part to this unique business model that operates in what many refer to as the sharing economy. Among those legal challenges are allegations of antitrust violations.

The antitrust claims against Uber have been numerous, but rely on surprisingly few theories of antitrust violation. Some of these cases are still pending, but many have been disposed of early on through motions to dismiss and voluntary dismissals. One common thread among these varying claims is that none has been analyzed and decided on the merits by a judge past the motion to dismiss phase.

This article will canvas the several alleged types of antitrust violations, describe the extent to which the merits of those arguments havebeen analyzed, and analyze those arguments independently on the merits.

Read the full article here. 

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