Uber To Allow Audio Recording of Rides, Aiming To Launch Feature In US (theguardian.com) 26
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Associated Press: Uber will allow passengers and drivers in Brazil and Mexico to record audio of their rides as it attempts to improve its safety record and image, and eventually it hopes to launch the feature into other markets including the United States. The ride-hailing company plans to pilot the feature in cities in both countries in December, although it has no timeline for possible expansion in the US and other markets.
The feature will allow customers to opt into recording all or select trips. Recordings will be stored on the rider or driver's phone and encrypted to protect privacy, and users will not be able to listen to them. They can later share a recording with Uber, which will have an encryption key, if they want to report a problem. Whether the recording feature will deter violent behavior to help riders and drivers is unknown. But Uber stands to benefit because the recordings could help the company mitigate losses and rein in liability for incidents that flare up between drivers and passengers.
The feature will allow customers to opt into recording all or select trips. Recordings will be stored on the rider or driver's phone and encrypted to protect privacy, and users will not be able to listen to them. They can later share a recording with Uber, which will have an encryption key, if they want to report a problem. Whether the recording feature will deter violent behavior to help riders and drivers is unknown. But Uber stands to benefit because the recordings could help the company mitigate losses and rein in liability for incidents that flare up between drivers and passengers.
I'd rather see them record the video (Score:2)
Had an uber ride from hell whether the diver literally drove his car into a dude who was loading luggage into another car's trunk.
Then dude failed to yield while making a left turn, putting me, on the passenger side of the car, directly in the path of two different honking busses.
I changed the destination and exited as soon as I could. Not sure if he was on drugs or just inept, but it was scary.
I wasn't really impressed with how Uber handled it. Not charging me for the ride was ok, a $3 service credit is ki
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Many taxis already do this (Score:4, Insightful)
Many taxis already record.
So do some buses.
I don't see the problem. I have no expectation of privacy in commercial transportation.
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Travel (Score:2)
Audio of your Uber rape now available! (Score:1)
Feature? (Score:2)
Bug
us based 1099er want the right to sell to taxicab (Score:2)
us based 1099er want the right to sell to taxicab confessions
"You Americans with your 'due process' (Score:2)
and 'fair trials.' This is always so much easier in Mexico." - Devil Flanders
Already doable (Score:5, Informative)
I can already do that just by turning on the recorder app on my phone. As a plus the recording isn't encrypted and I have direct access to it without being at Uber's mercy.
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Yeah, what's this stuff about "Uber to allow...". Why would I need their permission?
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In the US in a two party consent state (where both/all parties must consent to being recorded), the driver's and booking passenger's TOS could include a blanket agreement to such specific limited recording (only in/around the car and during the course of a ride interaction). By having the recording embedded in the app and encrypted so only Uber can decrypt it may make both drivers and customers more willing to agree to the "either party may record using the Uber app" clause knowing (hoping) that their words
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"There is a law against that!" doesnt mean absolution. What it means is a law is being broken. Hire a lawyer and take them to court. You might want to avoid doing that if whats on the recording is damning in spite of you not giving consent. Uber will not care that you did not give consent for the recording. If you broke any laws the judge that convicts your ass w
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"If you broke any laws the judge that convicts your ass will not care that you did not give consent for the recording."
It's called Fruit of the Poisonous Tree and no, a judge will not allow it if there's a clear violation of inherent rights.
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Isn't there some exemption where you can use non-consensual recordings to refute lies?
So, much better for defending yourself than prosecuting somebody, but I imagine some lawyer could twist things enough where if you could get things started without the recording, you could use the recording to refute their version of events? ...Or am I just making stuff up on the internet again?
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Wrong. Constitutional rights are enshrined as civil rights. This has held through many USSC cases.
Try again when you've passed basic junior high civics, sonny boy.
Wikipedia isn't a valid citeable source in any educational institution. Try again once you've actually graduated High School, sonny boy.
Re: Already doable (Score:1)
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Agreed - that would have been better wording.
However, some states don't fall into "All Parties" or "One Party" crisply and some have criminal vs. civil aspects.
I believe Colorado, for example, allows someone who is not involved in or present during the conversation to record with the consent of only one of the involved parties.I don't know what to call this as two parties must consent (the person doing the recording and at least one person being recorded).
Re: Already doable (Score:2)
Re: Already doable (Score:1)
Recent recording (Score:2)
"Crump. Budum budum"
"Hey uber-base, I guess we've still got that murder_flag enabled?"