US Lawmakers Take Over Surveillance of Uber and Lyft Rider in New Bill

(Bloomberg) — Two U.S. senators are introducing a bill that would require ride-hailing companies, including Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc., to notify passengers if their designated drivers are using dashboard cameras to record them.

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Legislation proposed by Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Democratic Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont would require companies to give customers the option of being paired with a new driver if they don’t want to travel with a driver using a driver. recording.

Uber and Lyft drivers are increasingly using cameras on their dashboards to document robberies, assaults and carjackings. Uber introduced the devices to its network in 2019 with the aim of making service safer and resolving conflicts easier. But the introduction of such surveillance has raised privacy concerns.

The bill must pass a U.S. Senate committee before it can be voted on by the full Senate, and the chances of it ultimately passing are unclear. The proposed legislation represents the first attempt by federal lawmakers to regulate the use of such cameras.

Uber and Lyft do not require drivers to register their cameras with their respective apps. But Uber’s website makes it clear that if something goes wrong during a trip, the recordings can be used as evidence by the company, law enforcement and insurers.

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