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Lime may get a lift from Lyft’s DC departure

Lyft’s decision to cease operations of its shared e-scooters and e-bikes in D.C. as of Tuesday will mean more rides for its main competitor, Lime, which already claims record ridership in the D.C. market.

“Riders have been choosing Lime e-scooters and e-bikes more and more the last few years, and we aren’t going anywhere,” said Erika Duthely, director of government relations for Lime, without mentioning Lyft’s decision. “D.C. has become a national leader for micromobility and residents and visitors can still expect the same commitment to sustainable transportation, safe rides, and proper parking.”

Lime is currently permitted to operate a fleet of up to 4,600 e-scooters in D.C., almost twice what Lyft had been permitted to offer, and a maximum of 3,575 e-bikes. Spin and Veo are also permitted to operate e-scooters and e-bikes. Spin’s fleet size is similar to Lime, while Veo’s permitted fleet is much smaller.

Lyft said its decision to exit the D.C. market was in part financial as it rightsizes its cost structure.

“This means we will no longer operate stand-alone dockless bikes and scooters (in D.C.),” the rideshare company said in a statement.

Lyft is also exploring alternatives for its bikes and scooters in Denver.

Lime said this summer was its busiest for D.C. users with a 40% increase in ridership in the same three months of last year.

Lime is also vowing to rein in reckless riders and haphazard parking of its scooters and bikes, both communicating more frequently about the rules of the road with riders and dedicating more time and staff to rebalancing vehicles and replacing mis-parked ones throughout the District.

According to the D.C. Department of Transportation, more than 30 million shared micromobility trips have been recorded in D.C. since 2019.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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