Uber to require some passengers to take a selfie to prove they are wearing a mask

Repeated mask violators will be banned from using the Uber app.

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Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Uber to launch mask verification feature for riders
Uber will soon require some riders to take selfies to verify they're wearing a mask before they can be picked up.

SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco-based Uber is working on a new COVID-19 safety feature.

It will soon require some passengers to take selfies on the app to prove they're wearing a mask.

Good Morning America got an exclusive first look at the technology, which scans your face. It can even tell if the mask is covering your nose.

Uber says it won't store the biometric data. The photo will be in the system for just four days, in case a complaint is filed. Repeated mask violators will be banned from using the Uber app.

Uber initially launched its mask verification feature in May for to confirm that its drivers were wearing a mask and to help reassure passengers worried about being exposed to the novel coronavirus.

"We firmly believe that accountability is a two-way street. That's why we're expanding the same technology to riders, too. If a driver reports to us that a rider wasn't wearing a mask, the rider will be required to take a selfie with their face covered before they're able to take another trip with Uber," said Uber in statement.

The mask verification feature will roll out by the end of September in the U.S. and Canada , according to Uber.