Uber apologises after Tweet on Trump's immigration causes #DeleteUber to trend on social media

Monday, 30 January 2017

Uber suffered a very swift backlash with #DeleteUber trend on Twitter following a Tweet from one of Uber's acount. Uber had tweeted that. 'Surge pricing has been turned off at #JFK Airport. This may result in longer wait times. Please be patient'.

The tweet provoked the #DeleteUber trend with people sharing photos of the "delete" screen on their phone and likening Uber's move to crossing the picket lines.

Singer Trey Songz also got involved on his IG page and posted:

Now, the CEO of Uber  Travis Kalanick who is an adviser on Trump's economic council has apologised saying Trump's travel ban from seven Muslim-majority countries "is against everything Uber stands for." He said the ban affects thousands of Uber drivers and further explains that Uber will compensate drivers for lost earnings if they're unable to work because of the ban. Uber also set up a $3 million legal defense fund for the "wrong and unjust" ban.

Lastly, Kalanick said he would pressure the president to "stand up for what's right."

Uber has since issued a statement to apologise saying:

"We're sorry for any confusion about our earlier tweet it was not meant to break up any strike, we wanted people to know they could use Uber to get to and from JFK at normal prices, especially tonight"  the statement read.