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Uber-style moving service arrives in DC

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WASHINGTON — A moving service modeled after ride-hailing services like Uber has rolled into Washington.

Bellhops uses an app to match customers with its movers and drivers from weeks to hours in advance.

The company hires current and former college students, called Bellhops, to handle the labor portion of the moving, and professional drivers to transport the customers’ belongings.

Bellhops is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee and has outlets in 20 other cities. It’s now hiring for its newly launched Washington service. The service will open with 100 movers and 20 drivers and plans to expand soon as warmer weather normally increases demand for moving services

The bellhops make between $15 and $17 an hour. Add in tips, and they can average $24 an hour.

“By pairing our fun, friendly workforce with our logistical technology, we have designed a platform that makes moving less stressful, more transparent and more on-demand than ever before,” said CEO Luke Marklin.

The downside is customers have to do the packing themselves and be ready when the truck arrives. The upside is it’s fast. Bellhops says it can make a two-bedroom, cross town move in three hours.

The company started on Auburn University’s campus in 2011 as an alternative for students moving into dorms each semester, and is now in Austin, Atlanta, Denver and Nashville. Within two years, the majority of its customers were non-students.

Bellhops has moved more than 100,000 customers so far, and investors like their progress: the company has raised more than $25 million.

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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