Life

Uber Apologizes for Racist Tweet in Response to Customer Complaint

The company's customer service bot responded to an internet troll who changed their name to a racist slur to elicit an automated response.

uber app
Image via Getty/NurPhoto
Getty

When Uber sent out a racist tweet from the company's support account, many people were left stunned by the biggoted language. The company has started its damage control after an internet troll changed their Twitter name to a racist slur, likely in an attempt to orchestrate the Uber bot's response.

The message was in response to a customer complaint who was asking for a ride refund. The company assured the customer that it was sorry, and then referred to him/her using a highly offensive racist word. Uber apologized for the response shortly after it circulated, assuring their customers that they did not intend to use the language in their customer response.

Related Stories

handcuffs white woman arrested after saying racial slurs
life

Oregon Woman and Man Charged After Yelling Racial Slurs at Black Family on Easter

The woman also pulled her pants down during the incident.

Abel Shifferaw2568 days ago
DJ Quik
music

DJ Quik on Laura Ingraham's Disrespectful Nipsey Hussle Comments: 'Let Her Eat Crow'

The Game and Justin Bieber, in particular, took a far harder stance with Ingraham.

Joe Price2571 days ago
ancestry dna
life

Ancestry.com Pulls Civil War-Era Commercial About Interracial Couple Following Backlash (UPDATE)

The site has received considerable backlash for exploiting black history as a marketing ploy.

Hannah Lifshutz2574 days ago

"We apologize for this offensive tweet and are disappointed our process to prevent something like this from happening was not effective here," an Uber spokesperson told Mashable. "Our support team is taking additional steps to help ensure this doesn't happen again."

The user who initially sent the complaint is @realTheeCheney, who by the looks of his account, is a MAGA supporter who often posts and retweets offensive content to his page. According to Mashable, the account holder the company responded to likely changed his name to elicit Uber's response, and quickly changed it back after receiving their reply.

Although the Twitter user drew Uber's response, the fact that the company did not have processes in place to prevent the tweet from being published has drawn considerable criticism.

Stay ahead on Exclusives

Download the Complex App