On Friday, when The Guardian released the Australian findings from a big trove of “Uber files” – leaked documents showing how the company busted through regulations to launch around the world – it was an interesting reminder of how new and fresh it all seemed to consumers a decade ago.

The revelations themselves fall into the “interesting rather than explosive” category, highlighting how Uber knew full well it was operating illegally in NSW and Victoria but relied on the predictable desire of politicians in opposition to support its “disruption” to look smart and impress voters.