Tech Champion De Blasio Under Fire on Plan to Regulate Uber Apps
The tech industry says the mayor is trying to smother progress one app at a time.
Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York, speaks during the TechCrunch Disrupt NYC 2015 conference in New York, U.S., on Monday, May 4, 2015.
Photographer: Michael Nagle/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio presents himself as a champion of the technology industry. The industry says he’s trying to smother progress one app at a time.
The mayor’s plan to require Uber Technologies Inc., Lyft Inc. and other ride-hailing services to get city approval for upgrades to the user interface on smartphone apps -- and to pony up $1,000 each time they do -- has rankled a broad swath of companies, with 27 signing a letter protesting his plan. It’s also raised questions about whether the mayor is siding with taxi and limousine owners who helped finance his 2013 campaign.