In advance of a public vote this Saturday, Uber is texting customers at their personal phone numbers to encourage them to vote for a pro–ride hail proposition in Austin.
more targeting MSGing from Uber re: #prop1 -- this is on top of loads of mailers 🙄
Raise your hand if your entire office just simultaneously got that Uber Prop 1 text message
Some took to Twitter to express their displeasure.
# of Ads, email, people knocking on my door & texting me to tell me to vote for Prop 1 is ridiculous. Please stop.
I am not cool with @Uber_ATX violating my privacy to text me asking for my support on Prop 1.
Hey @Uber I am literally voting AGAINST prop 1 in Austin because you have people constantly texting me to do so. STOP texting me. Seriously.
Uber is now texting me about the Austin election. That's an uncool use of my phone number.
The bill, which was authored by Lyft and Uber and is known as Prop 1, would repeal an existing city ordinance requiring ride-hail drivers to be fingerprinted as part of a background check. Uber and Lyft have spent over $8 million in Texas promoting Prop 1, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Lyft is also leaning on its passengers to get to the polls, writing in an email that, "If Prop 1 fails, Lyft will leave Austin."
