Attacking Uber and Lyft, TechCrunch fails to disclose the huge bias of its key interviewee

The article focuses on a new report from an arm of MIT suggesting that Uber and Lyft riders are making very poor earnings and thus are being taken for a metaphorical ride by the ride-sharing firms.

Two problems.

First off, Uber and Lyft have hundreds of thousands of drivers who drive for them. Which seems more likely: That these drivers enjoy suffering, or that they drive because they find value in the platform’s utility in earning them money and giving them flexibility with their time?

The second problem? TechCrunch.com relies heavily on one exceptionally biased source. In this case, the biased source is Mark Tluszcz, CEO of Mangrove capital partners investment firm. By its own website’s admission, Mangrove Capital is an investor in MetroCab, a rival ride services firm in Britain. This might have been relevant for TechCrunch.com to bring to its readers in light of the following selection of quotes from Tluszcz:

• “[Uber and Lyft] business are built on situations in the market that are not realistic, they took advantage of a hole in legislation… Governments let that happen. And it made all of the sudden services cheaper.”

• “Unfortunately all these ride-sharing businesses, and including most of these gig economy companies, are just trying to take advantage of holes and frankly I don’t see them at all looking at their reason to be as at least having a component of ‘I’m good for the society in which I operate.’ They don’t. They just simply don’t care.”

• I’m a capitalist but I do think there’s some moral guidance you have to have about the business you’re building. And the U.S. tech companies around the world – certainly in Europe – are being highly criticized. Where is your moral compass… And unfortunately, today, sitting here, you have to say they lost it.”

It’s pretty hilarious that Tluszcz claims the mantle of moral service while deceptively using this media platform to promote his own business interest, MetroCab. Bad form, TechCrunch — unless this is undisclosed paid content, in which case it’s even worse than that.