In a place where the mere presence of a national albeit uninspiring brand like Walmart can be a source of civic pride, it's easy to understand the excitement over the Jackson launch of the app-based ride-sharing service Uber.
Based in Silicon Valley, Uber is probably the hottest company in the world right now, both in terms of financial success and media buzz. The company's $40 billion valuation—more than double what it was worth just six months ago—makes it worth more than established tech companies such as Netflix and LinkedIn, The Los Angeles Times reported earlier this month.
Uber's balance sheets aren't the only reason the company has been in the news a lot lately. A number of international and domestic controversies have dogged the company in recent years. As we report this week, women have lodged a disturbing number of sexual-assault complaints against Uber drivers, whom the company claims undergo extensive criminal and background checks.
Of course, Uber cannot be blamed for their drivers—who are independent contractors—assaulting women. But initial responses from Uber officials to some of the events, including the company's founder and president Travis Kalanick, who once said the news media might be "somehow liable for these incidents that aren't even real in the first place," suggests a corporate culture that still has a lot of maturing to do.
Finally, there's the criticism that Uber, which is largely unregulated, has an unfair advantage over traditional taxicabs, which operate under heavy regulations in many cities.
It's unclear how, or if, Uber's presence in Mississippi will affect local cab drivers. What is clear is that Mississippi has a long, troubling history of letting multibillion-dollar companies take advantage of our lax regulatory climate (and in some cases, deregulating further to accommodate such corporations) just to have their presence.
Jackson does not have to continue that trend. Given the many challenges and criticisms that face Uber, the capital city now has a unique opportunity to learn from past mistakes.
We would encourage the Jackson City Council to closely examine the process Uber uses to hire drivers and respond to complaints and encourage the company to be transparent and accountable when problems occur. In addition, the city should ensure that the playing field for Uber, as well as taxicab companies, is level and fair to everyone.
The concept behind Uber, which aims to democratize ride sharing, and the company's desire to invest in Jackson is a reason to be excited. More exciting, however, is the opportunity Jackson has to help the multinational company become a more responsible corporate citizen.
Jackson city leaders should not let that opportunity pass.
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