Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Uber is making drivers take selfies to prove they’re wearing face masks

 

Uber is not only insisting its drivers wear protective equipment as business starts to ramp up after two months of stay-at-home orders, the ridesharing giant is demanding proof.

Recommended Videos

Starting Monday, drivers and delivery people will be required to send a selfie to the company to show that they are wearing a face mask. Riders will also be required to wear a face mask, but will not have to verify their compliance.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

It’s all part of the company’s new Go Online Checklist. Drivers will be required to wear masks through at least the end of June. Uber will then reassess the deadline based on public health guidance at the time.

The rider experience will be a different one as well, the company warns.

“Before every trip, riders must confirm that they’ve taken precautions like wearing a face cover and washing or sanitizing their hands,” Uber said in a press release. “They must also agree to sit in the back seat and open windows for ventilation.”

The maximum number of passengers for an UberX is also being reduced from four to three.

If a passenger is not wearing a mask, drivers are encouraged to cancel the trip; Uber said drivers who refuse service to those not following the rules won’t be penalized. Should a driver not wear a mask, the passenger can both cancel the ride and report the driver.

Uber said it has secured more than 23 million masks for drivers. It has also allocated $50 million to purchase supplies like masks, disinfectant sprays and wipes, hand sanitizer, and gloves. Those will be shipped directly to drivers’ homes.

For the latest updates on the novel coronavirus outbreak, visit the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 page.

Chris Morris
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Chris Morris has covered consumer technology and the video game industry since 1996, offering analysis of news and trends and…
Google has some ‘good ideas’ for putting ads in Gemini
Gemini Advanced on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Google is exploring adding ads to Gemini AI. CEO Sundar Pichai floated the idea in an earnings call but did not mention a specific date, according to The Verge. He also noted that the company has "very good ideas" about how it could appear in the future.

This year's focus remains on enhancing user experience features and broadening subscription offerings. Pichai noted that advertising has been essential in scaling other Google services, such as YouTube, possibly hinting that ads will eventually come to Gemini. However, Pichai did not mention how Google plans to integrate ads into Gemini when they appear in the AI. He also said they are committed to making the products work and delivering them to a vast audience.

Read more
iPhone 7 owners are getting $200 in class action lawsuit, and here’s how you can track yours
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Settlement payout from the iPhone 7 class action lawsuit against Apple are starting to roll out. Those who participated in the class action lawsuit have started to receive payments, with amounts varying based on whether you spent any money on repairing the iPhone 7 or the iPhone 7 Plus.

Some of the co-applicants in the lawsuit have started to receive around $200 as part payment from the $35 million settlement, 9to5Mac reported. While the payout is less than the maximum of $350 initially approved by the court, it should still feel satisfactory to the appellants.

Read more
The EU is cracking down on labels in Windows 11’s Start menu
The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

To align with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), Microsoft is updating Windows 11's Start Menu Search, but only for users in the European Economic Area, as Tech Radar reports. The software giant is introducing more transparent labels to distinguish between web search results and local ones. This move is part of broader changes that let users uninstall Edge and turn off Bing integration, reinforcing transparency and user choice.

The changes are in a new Windows 11 Insider Preview Build, build 27764. Notably, X user @alex290292 shared a screenshot that shows the new Start menu user interface with the "Windows" and "Web search from Bing" sections. These changes are great news since they give users more control over Windows 11. Specifically, the modifications include adding custom web search providers to Windows Search, letting users remove the Edge browser, and turning off Bing web search.

Read more