The Taiwanese government on Wednesday asked Apple and Google to delete ride-hailing service Uber’s app from their respective App Stores. The request stems from a battle over how much the company should be paying the government in taxes. (DUH!)
CNET:
Taiwanese officials want the two Silicon Valley tech giants to remove Uber from the App Store and Google Play respectively, according to Reuters. It is also seeking the removal of UberEATS, the company’s food delivery service, which launched in Taiwan on Tuesday.
Taiwanese transportation authorities say they have begun penalizing UberEATS by fining any motorcycle drivers who deliver the food, suspending their vehicle licenses for 2 to 6 months.
While Uber operates in Taiwan under the banner of a technology company, the government says the company has misclassified itself, and should instead be registered as a transportation company, which would result in Uber paying more in taxes.
“Uber has not done what it says it will do, so we are looking at another way by requesting its apps be removed from Apple and Google (app stores),” Liang Guo-guo, a spokesman for Taiwan’s Directorate General of Highways, which is handling the matter, told Reuters by phone on Wednesday.
The spat is just the latest in a number of battles Uber faces as it expands globally. Most countries don’t have existing regulations to cover services such as ride-hailing companies, and it has caused a number of disputes with both local and federal governments.
As for Uber’s side of the story, the company told Reuters that it complies with all local regulations, and that it is in discussions with Taiwanese authorities. Apple hasn’t as yet responded to authorities or requests for comment on the situation. Reuters says a Google spokesperson pointed to the company’s policies on Google Play, which say the company does not allow apps that facilitate or promote illegal activities. The spokesperson then declined to comment further.
