Uber to require some passengers to provide face mask selfies

Passengers who have not been wearing a face mask while taking an Uber will now have to provide photographic proof they are wearing a face covering before boarding.

The San Francisco-based company has unveiled a new policy stipulating that if a driver reports to Uber that a rider was not wearing a mask, the customer will have to take a selfie with one strapped on the next time they summon a driver on the world’s largest ride-hailing service.

The mask verification rules expand upon a similar requirement that Uber imposed on its drivers in May to help reassure passengers worried about being exposed to the novel coronavirus that has upended society.

Uber believes it is time to help make its drivers feel safer too.

56% The fall in the number of trips on Uber during its most recent quarter compared with the previous year

The requirement will roll out in the US and Canada later this month before coming to other parts of the world.

The additional safety measures are part of Uber’s ongoing efforts to rebuild a service that has seen ridership plunge this year.

People have been seeking to minimise the chances of becoming sick and have also had fewer reasons to go anywhere, with offices, bars, restaurants and nightclubs closed through much of the US and other parts of the world.

The adverse conditions caused the number of trips on Uber during its most recent quarter to plunge by 56% from the previous year.