Watch the Super Bowl Ad Uber & the NFL Don’t Want You to See
NFL pulled Alliance Against Corporate Abuse’s ad from San Diego’s NBC affiliate that exposes mega-sponsor Uber’s “alarming sexual violence problem”
SACRAMENTO, CA — On Sunday, the Alliance Against Corporate Abuse (AACA) sought to use the Super Bowl’s massive audience to inform viewers that nearly every eight minutes a case of sexual assault or sexual misconduct was reported to Uber — before the NFL intervened to stop the ad from airing in one of California’s largest media markets, benefitting one of its leading sponsors.
“Today, more than ever, we should all be concerned about sexual assault,” said Susan Jones Knape, Founder & President of A Case for Women. “For years women have come to us looking for answers, accountability, and safety after the worst happened to them in an Uber. I am deeply troubled that the NFL, with its broad platform, chose to pull a public service message that could have prevented more assaults. We should all be on the same side of safety.”
The message exposes “Uber’s alarming sexual violence problem” and that “measures to stem the violence have been set aside in favor of protecting the company’s business” — as the rideshare giant pushes a ballot initiative that would limit victims’ rights, cap recoveries, and make it harder for people injured in crashes or assaults to hold the company accountable.
Click here to watch the “Every 8 Minutes” public awareness message
This follows a federal jury finding Uber liable last week for a sexual assault committed by one of its drivers, the first of thousands of cases that Uber is facing over its systemic safety failures — and a sign of growing sentiment against the rideshare giant. The court had also rejected Uber’s attempt to have this ad taken down.
“A federal jury held Uber accountable in court, and days later the NFL blocked a public-interest message warning riders about the company’s safety failures,” said AACA spokesperson Alex Stack. “That contrast says a lot, especially as Uber spends millions trying to rewrite the rules in California — trying to protect their profits by making it harder to sue the rideshare giant.”
In response to Uber’s flagrant attempts to skirt accountability, CAOC submitted three initiatives in October: the People’s Right to Contract With Counsel of Choice Act, the Sexual Assault Against Rideshare Passengers and Drivers Prevention and Accountability Act, and the Rideshare Public Accountability Act. Last month, CAOC announced raising over $50 million into its ballot measure committees to fight Uber’s deceptive ballot initiative that “limits automobile accident victims’ recovery of medical expenses.”