People Are V. Concerned That Uber Can Now Track You 5 Mins After Your Ride

 

So, Uber have recently released an update that allows the app to track your movements a whole 5 minutes after your ride has finished. 

And people are (understandably) maaaaaaaaaad. 

Privacy advocates have slammed the new function, saying that it’s completely unethical and is a threat to people’s safety. 

You can turn the function off – but it will impact your ability to actually use the app. While the app used to offer the option ‘While Using The App’ option for its location data settings, the only options after this update is ‘Always’, or ‘Never’. 

See below:

The new @Uber app tracks you for FIVE minutes after you get dropped off without the ability to opt out. pic.twitter.com/A9JOLj8dUn

— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) December 5, 2016

You can opt out, even though this screen tries to trick you into thinking you can’t by saying it “needs your location.” It doesn’t. Shady! pic.twitter.com/dgsXJdHVs1

— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) December 5, 2016

Responses have been… not great:

BEWARE; New @Uber update gives app access to your location for full 5 minutes after you get out. Either allow it, or don’t ride! #UberCreepy

— Kevin Frankish (@KevinFrankish) December 5, 2016

Tracking you for 5 minutes Is just one more reason to not use Uber. #TheProjectTV

— Andrew (@IHateLentilSoup) December 5, 2016

They say 5 minutes but the coding allows longer. @Uber @Uber_Support #ubertracking https://t.co/2kleKaQ0cU

— Anna Browne (@MerAnnabella) December 5, 2016

Why do you need to know where I am 5 minutes AFTER the ride is over??? #Uber #UberUpdate #creepy https://t.co/xQCvIZpJTT

— Jonni ? (@bk_Jonni) December 5, 2016

Many are requesting that Uber roll back the function, so they can continue only giving location data when they’re actually using the app. 

@Uber tracking user from when ride is requested until five minutes after it is over ?? “Every step you take, I’ll be watching you” ?? ?? pic.twitter.com/RmY7VzlCNI

— Jeremiah Trein (@jtrein) December 5, 2016

@Uber hi uber. love the new app design but can u update with an option to only use my location whilst using the app please

— Becky Hill (@BeckyHill) December 4, 2016

And then threatening to no longer use Uber because of it:

Sorry @uber, you’re getting deleted for @lyft. Lyft is MUCH better and no background “tracking.” #Lyft #uber

— ABD (@ABDC916) December 5, 2016

Well,@Uber_Support we had a nice ride. ?? After this update, I’m deleting the app. ??

— Christian Campos (@xncampos) December 5, 2016

Deleting Uber until I hear at least one legitimate reason why I should give them 24/7 access to my location. https://t.co/iQGqxJ7Xjp

— Brendan Ryan (@itsBrendanRyan) December 5, 2016

Now provide location to Uber all the time, or not at all. Quite arrogant, not using Uber until they fix this. pic.twitter.com/LVGDNtxzKa

— Nishant Totla (@nishanttotla) December 2, 2016

And women are concerned about the potential safety issues with the new function:

I think it’s a lot creepy, and I would hesitate to use Uber as a woman alone https://t.co/hdts8q5lWz

— Rosalie Donlon (@RosalieDonlon) December 5, 2016

new #uber update w/ 5min post-trip tracking is worrisome to me, a woman who has 2x now given a fake destination to a leering male driver

— soap (@stompysmith) December 5, 2016

@Uber_Support How will tracking the passenger’s whereabouts 5 minutes after enhance safety?

— E (@e_sabbb) December 5, 2016

…even if Uber tells us it’s just “5 minutes after ride”. Or whether driver can see it. I bet every woman thought that after reading.

— Karen López (@datachick) December 5, 2016

There’s no official statement from Uber just yet, but we’ll keep you updated.