By Jack Armstrong ’15

San Francisco based startup Uber, a taxi service which offers luxury sedans to riders from an app on their smartphone, has been under attack by major cities around the world, most recently Toronto, for operating ‘illegally’ by offering non-licensed taxi drivers in unmarked cars to riders.

Since its founding in 2012, the San Francisco based company has expanded to cities around the world, providing their easy-to-use service to satisfied customers. It’s goal: to provide a cheaper and more convenient way for riders to get a taxi.

Uber deserves a chance to succeed. Despite the fact it’s a new service, the arguments made against Uber seem to gain little other than to eliminate the threat of a growing business. Similarly, Airbnb, a service that allows travelers to book rooms from ordinary people, has been attacked by the hotel industry for similar reasons. Established large companies with legal power try to eliminate their competition rather than to compete. Something that is unfair and out-of-place for these new services to counter. These companies are hurting startups like Uber and Airbnb rather than acknowledging the value they have.