SAN FRANCISCO, California — A rideshare driver alleges that Lyft violated his First Amendment rights by permanently deactivating his account, shortly after a conversation he had with a rider about the Israel-Hamas war.
Ahmed Alharazi, a Yemeni immigrant and father of three young daughters, has driven for both Uber and Lyft for about 7 years. But two weeks ago, Lyft permanently suspended his account, despite his 5-star rating on the app. EMS verified the driver’s Lyft rating, as well as his 4.97 rating on the Uber app.
Alharazi has given more than 4,400 rides on Lyft, and just over 10,000 on Uber.
Shortly before his Lyft account was deactivated, Alharazi drove a passenger who, he said, initiated a conversation about the Israel-Hamas war, which has taken the lives of over 37,000 people since Oct. 7, 2023. The driver told Ethnic Media Services he rarely initiates political conversations with his passengers, hoping to avert the disparate minefields of a politically-divided nation.
But the passenger persisted, Alharazi said. “So I told him: ‘I believe what’s going on in Gaza is a genocide.’ He disagreed and said there is no evidence. I said: ‘what about the thousands of people we see on tv every evening, the thousands of children starving in a famine?’ He kept saying: ‘I disagree.’”
‘Censorship’
When he got home that evening, Alharazi learned that his Lyft account had been permanently deactivated. The driver said he has made multiple calls to the company, but, to date, has received no reply as to why he is no longer allowed to drive for Lyft, despite his long tenure.
The sole support for his family of four, Alharazi said he has lost about a third of his income. He spends more time on Uber now, driving at least 12 hours a day.
“I fled the Middle East because I feared speaking my mind. But here I am, facing censorship again. This is a real threat to democracy,” said Alharazi.
Lyft’s Response
Lyft responded to Alharazi’s allegations via two emails to EMS. “We take these matters seriously,” said the company in an email. “Safety is fundamental to Lyft. Upon review of the driver’s account, this driver was permanently banned from the Lyft platform for unsafe behavior.”
EMS asked for proof of unsafe behavior. Lyft sent a subsequent statement, noting: “The driver was permanently banned due to a reporting of unsafe behavior which was evidenced by video recording from the rider’s doorbell camera.”
“Lyft has not received any reports of anti-semitism or other forms of discrimination re: the subject driver,” stated the company.
Alharazi disputed Lyft’s statements. “I have driven for Uber and Lyft for 7 years, and have never engaged in unsafe behavior. I have a family to provide for, and that is my first concern.”
‘Fired By An App’
The Asian Law Caucus and Rideshare Drivers United released a report last year: “Fired by An App: The Toll of Secret Algorithms and Unchecked Discrimination on California Rideshare Drivers.” The report noted that the rideshare workforce is comprised primarily of immigrants and people of color, who earn an average of just $6.20 an hour.
“A key part of the corporations’ algorithmic control relies on user-generated rating systems that are infected by unchecked customer discrimination and bias,” states the report.
False Customer Statements
Drivers assert that if their customer rating falls below an unpublished threshold, they can be summarily deactivated. Even if a driver has a history of thousands of rides and near-perfect customer ratings, a single complaint, even if based on unfounded or false customer assertions, can trigger a driver’s deactivation, according to the report. Drivers are often not told why they were deactivated.
Additional Report Findings
- 69% of drivers of color experienced some form of deactivation, compared to 57% of drivers who identify as white
- 86% of drivers who do not speak English and 78% of those with limited English proficiency reported experiencing some form of deactivation, compared to 61% of drivers who are fluent in English
- 45% of all deactivated drivers believe customer discrimination led to their deactivation
This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.
