Uber to require drivers to wear face masks – and use facial recognition technology to check that they comply

Uber will require its drivers to wear face masks as journeys start out of coronavirus lockdowns – and will use new technology to confirm that they are complying. "Our new technology will verify if the driver is wearing a mask by asking them to take a selfie. After we verify the driver is covering their face, we'll let the rider know via an in-app message" the company said in a blog post. Unlike it's other facial recognition software the "Real-Time ID Check", which the company says "protects riders from unverified drivers, and also prevents fraud by ensuring drivers' accounts are not compromised", this technology only identifies the mask rather than the driver's face or other biometric information. Drivers in the United States, Canada, India and most of Europe and Latin America, will be affected by the change, which will start 18 May.