Uber will now verify riders as a safety measure for drivers
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Uber announced a new rider verification feature aimed at giving drivers and couriers more peace of mind about their customers.
The rideshare company has tried to fight fraud and improve safety on its platform through a variety of methods, including safety check-ins, PIN verification, and audio recordings of rides. But to date, most of these efforts have focused on the safety of riders, not drivers. Some drivers have urged Uber to do more for them, leading to today’s announcement about a new rider verification process.
All Uber customers will have their personal information, like their name and phone number, cross-checked against third-party databases to make sure there aren’t any potential red flags. In addition, riders...