Uber is letting parents check in on their teens through drivers’ selfie cameras
Uber is introducing a feature that allows parents to view live video from their teen's driver's phone during a ride. The feature is encrypted and requires driver opt-in, aiming to provide parents with additional security oversight for underage passengers.
Why it matters
This feature highlights the ongoing tension between digital safety tools for minors and the privacy rights of gig-economy workers.
Uber is updating its teen account feature to allow parents to use the selfie cameras on Uber drivers’ phones to check in on their teenage children during ridehail trips.
Since first launching teen accounts in 2023, Uber has touted the myriad ways parents can keep tabs on their children, from PIN verification to live GPS tracking. Now, parents can also view live video of the ride while it’s in progress by viewing the feed from the driver’s selfie camera. Uber said that after testing the new feature in several markets, it’s ready to roll out nationwide over the next few weeks.
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