• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The heiress of $10 billion Perdue Farms and the $12 billion Sheraton Hotels empire wore hand-me-downs, still rides the subway, and flies economy

2

Iran's president admits 'we have many problems' and missiles 'are of no use' as the U.S. chokes its economy while weakening Tehran's grip on Hormuz

3

Six months into the Iran war, the global economy has pulled off a ‘Mission Impossible’ scene, and the Trump family is among the winners

1

The heiress of $10 billion Perdue Farms and the $12 billion Sheraton Hotels empire wore hand-me-downs, still rides the subway, and flies economy

2

Iran's president admits 'we have many problems' and missiles 'are of no use' as the U.S. chokes its economy while weakening Tehran's grip on Hormuz

3

Six months into the Iran war, the global economy has pulled off a ‘Mission Impossible’ scene, and the Trump family is among the winners
TechUber Technologies

Is It a Problem That Arianna Huffington Joined the Board at Uber?

By
Hilary Brueck
Hilary Brueck
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Hilary Brueck
Hilary Brueck
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 28, 2016, 9:06 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

She’s a fierce advocate for getting enough sleep, editor-in-chief at The Huffington Post, and now, Arianna Huffington is getting into the ride-sharing business:

I'm thrilled to be joining @Uber's board and riding along with @travisk on this great adventure. https://t.co/6cgJvV67LP

— Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff) April 27, 2016

The announcement Wednesday that Huffington is joining Uber’s board had many wondering how her own news site will cover the company now.

In a blog post (on The Huffington Post, naturally) Huffington sought to allay those fears, writing that “as HuffPost’s editor-in-chief, I have recused myself from any and all editorial coverage of Uber.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

But Dave Jamieson, a labor reporter at The Huffington Post, says the newsroom often posts multiple stories about Uber a day, reporting on controversial issues like the company’s independent contractor model and safety concerns. He says the move could make editors who work under Huffington more cautious:

“Despite the assurances to staff, one senior editor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the arrangement ‘makes me very uncomfortable,'” Jamieson wrote.

Uber has been a controversial company for years. Just last week the company reached a $100 million deal with drivers in class-action suits, and the company has been hammered for its safety record and background checks.

Tech journalist and PandoMedia founder Sarah Lacey, who previously worked under Huffington’s media umbrella at TechCrunch, said she was “sad and hurt and disgusted” by the news and went so far as to call Uber the “North Korea of startups” in a Facebook post.

Media ethicist Kelly McBride from Poynter penned a list of advice for Huffington, saying it might be smarter for her to take on more of a publisher’s role, instead of staying at the helm of the newsroom. Many say that’s the key difference between Huffington and other media moguls like News Corp’s Rupert Murdoch, Michael Bloomberg, or even Jeff Bezos at The Washington Post. She’s not just part of the business arm, she’s regularly handling coverage decisions.

For more on Uber, watch:

Still, tech writer and entrepreneur Om Malik says it’s not necessarily a bad thing that Huffington is joining the Uber board. “The question is should she be the editor of HuffPo considering the third-rail nature of Uber and its relationship with society at large, and the global economy in general,” he writes in a blog post.

It is time for @verizon executives to weigh in on the @ariannahuff ethics challenge as far as this @Uber board position is concerned

— OM (@om) April 27, 2016

As for Huffington, she said she’s excited about how Uber, the massive San Francisco-based startup with a $62.5 billion valuation, is going to transform cities, “change the world and improve people’s lives.”

About the Author
By Hilary Brueck
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Tech


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.