Uber gives parents live video access to teen rides
What's the story
Uber has launched a new live video streaming feature for its teen accounts, giving parents a way to monitor their children's safety during rides. The innovative feature uses the driver's selfie camera to provide a real-time video feed of the ride. It will be rolled out across the US in the coming weeks, starting from nine markets including Atlanta, Cleveland, and Rhode Island.
Operational details
How the streaming process works
Once a ride begins, parents or guardians linked to the teen's account are notified if the video stream is available.
If they choose to view it, both the driver and teen are alerted.
The feature is only accessible by accounts directly connected to the teen's account.
Security measures
Video retained for safety investigations
Uber has clarified that no one, including the driver or teen, gets access to the video after a ride ends, though Uber may retain the encrypted file and access the key for safety investigations.
While the company says the video is "encrypted," it's not clear if it is end-to-end encrypted.
The feature was first introduced in 2023 as part of Uber's teen accounts, which allow kids aged 13-17 to request rides while being linked to a parent or guardian's account.
Safety protocols
Other safety features included in teen rides
Uber's teen accounts come with several built-in safety features. Parents get real-time updates and can track rides in the app.
Teens have to give their driver a unique PIN before a trip can begin, helping ensure they're getting into the right car.
The company's RideCheck feature detects if a trip goes off-course or stops unexpectedly, checking in through the app to ensure everything is fine.
Privacy issues
Privacy concerns and Uber's response
The introduction of this feature has raised some privacy concerns, as it turns a driver's personal phone into a live camera.
However, Uber has assured that only the parent or guardian linked to the teen's account can view the live stream.
The company also clarified that an encrypted recording of the stream is stored on its servers for 14 days and can only be accessed with a decryption key during safety incident investigations.