[wheelguy]

This auto audio-recording feature will be first tested in Mexico and Brazil and depending on the results, the same might be introduced in the US too.

In order to boost security and make it safe for both rider and driver, Uber is looking forward to include automatic audio-recording inside cabs. This auto audio-recording feature will be first tested in Mexico and Brazil and depending on the results, the same might be introduced in the US too.

The new feature will be available to both parties. Drivers can record audio of all rides that they take while the rider will have to activate audio recording from the Safety Toolkit option before starting the trip. Inside the cab, everyone will get an alert the moment audio recording starts and the app will ask for necessary permissions for recording audio.

The audio recordings get saved on the phone and in case there is a safety issue, riders can submit the audio recording to the customer support team. However, there is a catch. Uber claims that these recordings will be encrypted and both the driver and the rider will not be able to listen to audio.

The only option they have is to send it to the Uber customer support team. This also means that this evidence can only be submitted to law enforcement agencies by the Uber team only and not the rider or the driver.

Reuters reported that these voice recordings might be produced to the law enforcement agencies only when an authorized agency reaches out to Uber and requests for it.

Automatic audio recording leads to a huge privacy concern among citizens and for Uber it might difficult when there are multiple people inside the cab especially in pools.

Source: ET Auto

[speedmiester]

Originally Posted by wheelguy

This auto audio-recording feature will be first tested in Mexico and Brazil and depending on the results, the same might be introduced in the US too.

Source: ET Auto

A very thorough vetting process will eliminate the needs for such initiatives.
To add more cars on the road, UBER has cut corners in their driver verification, most incidents are due to such characters.
But there are also instances of passengers doing wrong things. There should be a better way than to record audio. Huge privacy concern there.

[alpha1]

Oh well, as if the current global move towards Surveillance state was not enough.

[Storm2.0]

I see this as a breach of privacy period! I wouldn't want my conversations over phone to be recorded by anyone for any purpose.

[Nissan1180]

This is more like a data gathering exercise. So many people use Uber for official travel! Privacy be damned. I guess many who take calls on Uber would now have to rethink.
If one has the resources, get your own car or bike. No point selling private data.
As for safety, if a company worth more than all the global security agencies combined cannot get the driver onboarding process right (through in-car biometrics and pre screening), it may not be the right intention. Already Google tracks every step we take and special privacy apps are needed to restrict location access.
Our experience as a vendor for Ola was really bad because the driver managed to run away with the car! They literally have 0 control over the drivers. It was a herculean task to get it back.
Most of these companies spend so much on "route analytics" and yet end up being more expensive than a normal cab. It is a case of missed revenue predictions, and they'll now use all the important conversations you have in an uber to get back at you for the initial discounts.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

This is more like a data gathering exercise. So many people use Uber for official travel!

Agree with you, but I believe the reason is different. What you are suggesting is corporate espionage with a lot of serious and million dollar consequences.

I feel this is a data collection for feeding to some natural language-based AI engine. A car is a place to collect a lot of conversations and to have any driverless car which is trained to take inputs from the cabin occupants - it needs to be trained extensively on the conversations that should matter and the ones that don't. Like

Can't think of a better source than Uber for collecting this data. Just like their driverless cars on the road!

[adi.mariner]

With Amazon Alexa already "listening" to conversations in your house, Google tracking your location and internet usage and Uber is going to start recording conversations in their vehicles seems normal. Privacy has already gone for a toss.

[hangover]

Ooh the joy.

Imagine the fun of pretending to be talking to your stockbroker and saying - buy Tesla shares when you happen to know that it’s battery supplier went bankrupt.

Imagine a CIA employee (Uber, Amazon, Facebook and google are cia spook ops. ), listening in to your conversations and going and buying a million Tesla shares.

Yes. I like this.

You can have imaginary convos. with film stars and make a video. And get a million hits on YouTube. It will be sponsored and “approved” by Uber

Actually it’s already happening with Alexa and the google home appliance. Even when the devices are off and set to highest privacy, the CIA and DHS (new US security arm after 9-11, currently muscling into CIA ops.) are listening.

[deep_bang]

Contrary to what most of the above posts are sounding, I think it's a good idea even so in India.

Any sort of harassment starts with talk. And it may go to any dangerous level from there. Having a fear of being recorded may prevent some such cases, and do enable users/drivers to have a legal support in some cases rather than "customers word versus drivers word".

Also this is only if either driver it customer chooses to. It's not on by default. Unless Uber makes it an incentive to record, I don't see why either party would do it unless they suspect something wrong is going on.

[Sebring]

Audio and video recording is there in every cab of the UAE, as far back I can remember. Nothing new in this. There are at least three cameras inside, and one facing out.

Originally Posted by wheelguy

This auto audio-recording feature will be first tested in Mexico and Brazil and depending on the results, the same might be introduced in the US too

[GTO]

There is no way this is going to fly in the USA, or even India. The public just won't accept it. Big Tech has already got a bad rep for privacy violations, with the sole exception being Apple. Of the entire group, Uber has probably suffered the most scandals. Impossible that its customers will agree to family / phone conversations being recorded & stored in the cloud.

[hangover]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Audio and video recording is there in every cab of the UAE, as far back I can remember. Nothing new in this. There are at least three cameras inside, and one facing out.

In India, we are all sovereign citizens. We the people oppose this.

It’s like our Supreme Court deciding that because there was a precedent of banning sun films in Botswana (of all countries), we in India too should ban it.

[Sebring]

Gulf has the best record when it comes to law and order. There is no crime here. Surveillance is a global norm. In fact, without you even realising it you are already being monitored when you use a laptop or TV with a camera built in. If an ordinance is passed with a view to monitor terrorism, nobody will/can question it.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by hangover

We the people oppose this.

And then we upload all our personal information, voluntarily, on social media, shopping apps, and Aadhaar anyway!

Originally Posted by Sebring

In fact, without you even realising it you are already being monitored when you use a laptop or TV with a camera built in.

Very true, cross-posting a creepy experience: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shift...ml#post4690847 (Facebook is a surveillance engine not a friend)


BUT there is a difference between overt and covert, automated/bot and human surveillance/monitoring. Even though I definitely am for better safety in cabs, I too am very uncomfortable with the thought that my conversations are going to be recorded in an Uber.

This is pretty much what it is going to be:

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

This is more like a data gathering exercise.

This makes a lot more sense:

Originally Posted by speedmiester

A very thorough vetting process will eliminate the needs for such initiatives. To add more cars on the road, UBER has cut corners in their driver verification, most incidents are due to such characters.

[giri1.8]

Originally Posted by Nissan1180

If one has the resources, get your own car or bike. No point selling private data.

Connected cars are here to collect our every move. There might be a point when it could be a standard feature

Corporate companies are just exploiting us in every possible way, people are just too naive to wake up.