Uber executive under fire after threatening to ‘dig dirt’ on journalists
An executive at taxi app Uber has hit headlines after threatening to dig up dirt on journalists that had provided negative media coverage of the taxi app.
Emil Michael, a senior vice president, said that Uber should spend a million dollars on a team of researchers and journalists to help Uber fight back against negative press.
They would be enlisted specifically to look into the personal lives of journalists and their families, according to the report by Buzzfeed.
The comments came amid confusion as to whether the dinner, which took place on Friday at Manhattan's Waverly Inn, was reportable by the media or "off-the-record."
Martin has since issued the following statement, according to the BBC:
The remarks attributed to me at a private dinner – borne out of frustration during an informal debate over what I feel is sensationalistic media coverage of the company I am proud to work for – do not reflect my actual views and have no relation to the company's views or approach
He singled our PandoDaily editor Sarah Lacy who recently wrote that she'd deleted the app after accusing the company of sexism.