Reviews

Uberland: How Algorithms Are Rewriting the Rules of Work by Alex Rosenblat

breadandmushrooms's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

lazecat's review

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fast-paced

2.75

Learnt a bit about Uber and appreciated the anecdotes and research. But the book was just too meandering and repetitive for me. Should have been refined and condensed.

iamnader's review against another edition

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2.0

Didn't really like this. So wildly anti-Uber.

red_robin's review

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informative slow-paced

3.0

Especially interesting when it talked about how Uber manipulates drivers into thinking they have more control over their careers than they actually do through subtle legal loopholes (ie. keeping them as contract workers so they don't have to abide rules such as insurance, or other labour laws). Drivers often think they are entrepreneurs, while the Uber algorithm deters them in many ways from actually having autonomy. Only con is that after a while it is a repeat of the same point over and over again, which is bound to occur with these types of books, but got tiring nonetheless. 

ptaradactyl's review

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4.0

It articulates things that bothered me that I couldn’t quite put into words. I would have liked a few more examples to back up some points, and the audio version got a touch slow in places, but a very worthwhile read

kserra's review against another edition

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4.0

Alex does an excellent job of combining her ethnographic findings with the broader background on Uber.

changwinnie's review against another edition

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3.0

Fascinating and could have used an editor.

emilydittmar's review against another edition

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5.0

This is was a fascinating read. I think this would pair really well with The View from Flyover Country by Sarah Kendzior. That Uber views itself as a technology company rather than a transportation company so that it can circumvent laws has redefined the economy and the definition of an employee. Something we should all think about.

eleanorlafleur's review against another edition

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1.0

I liked the book when I read it, but downgrading it to one star because the author did multiple years of study on just how awful Uber can be to its employees and the world and decided "yeah, yknow what, I *will* sell out to them!"

windingdot's review against another edition

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1.0

The book was okay, but she’s working for Uber now, so going back and changing it from three stars to one for having no ethics.