Uber announced rolling out the “Record my Ride” feature through its application last March in many countries, including Jordan. This came after publishing an investigation by ARIJ titled “Unsafe Rides: Audio and Video Recordings Inside Uber Cars in Jordan” on March 7, 2024, which exposed the company drivers’ violation of passengers’ privacy by recording trips both audibly and visually, using cameras installed inside and outside the cars, without obtaining the passengers’ consent or informing them about the recording.
Uber sends a notification through the app requesting users to consent to audio record the details of the trip, and restricts the passenger’s request for the ride until the recording is approved. This feature allows both passengers and drivers to record the details of the trip audibly through “safety maintenance tools” in the app using their smartphones. It is noted that neither party is informed of the other’s recording action.
Uber states that this feature is intended to provide safer trips for both the driver and the passenger. The company also asserts that users cannot access the recordings, nor can Uber listen to them, unless a report is sent by either the passenger or the driver, at which the company reviews the attached audio recording. The company may share the audio recording with law enforcement agencies, if it receives a valid legal request or in emergency situations.