UBER PUSHES FOR ARBITRATION

A US appeals court in New York last week weighed arguments over whether Uber Technologies Inc. customers gave up their right to sue the company when they registered for its popular taxi hailing service.

The case could have wider implications for internet businesses, which often require customers to agree to bring disputes through private arbitration as part of long lists of terms and conditions when they register for services.

Theodore Boutrous, arguing for Uber, urged the three- judge 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals panel to send a class action lawsuit by Connecticut Uber passenger Spencer Meyer over the company’s pricing practices to arbitration, which US District Judge Jed Rakoff refused to do last year.

When users register for Uber on their smartphones, Boutrous said, they were told on the registration screen that by registering, they were agreeing to terms and conditions.

Boutrous said a typical smartphone user “couldn’t miss” the notice, and could easily read the terms and conditions by touching a link.

Jeffrey Wadsworth, arguing for Meyer, said it was not reasonable to expect customers to know they were giving up their right to sue when they agreed to standard terms and conditions from an internet-