Lyft responds to Franken’s worries

Ride company Lyft told Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) that it is serious about protecting users’ privacy and has implemented new controls to safeguard their data.

“We are constantly working to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust with our drivers and our passengers, and we remain committed to this vision in all aspects of our company,” CEO Logan Green and president John Zimmer told Franken in a letter released on Monday but sent Dec. 30. 

{mosads}The response comes weeks after Franken and other privacy critics have put pressure on Lyft and its competitor, Uber, over company executives’ reported ability to track information about where people go.

In December, Franken told Green that he was concerned about “inadequate regard among Lyft executives for customers’ privacy.” 

In contrast to a three-page letter Uber sent to reassure Franken, however — which the Minnesota Democrat chided for a “surprising lack of detail” — the eight-page Lyft letter seemed to respond to many of the senator’s concerns.

“I was pleased to receive a response from Lyft, and I appreciate the company’s effort to provide thorough answers,” Franken said in a statement. “I look forward to further discussing these matters — for example, how and why Lyft retains customer data and how access to customer records is determined.” 

In their letter, Green and Zimmer wrote that the company needs to retain some user data to respond to complaints about improper billing and to comply with law enforcement requests, among other possible reasons.