Uber has launched “Record My Ride” in India a feature that lets drivers record encrypted in‑cab video using their own smartphones through the Uber app when they feel unsafe during a trip, the company said at a New Delhi event on June 30. The footage, Uber says, remains encrypted and is not accessible to the driver or Uber unless the driver submits it as part of a safety report.
The company unveiled Record My Ride alongside several other safety updates, including an Ambulance Assistance integration with medical logistics provider Dial 4242, a Don’t Type & Drive function, and a Set Your Own PIN trip‑verification option. Uber framed the changes as part of an expanded safety investment in India, saying it spends millions annually on safety infrastructure in the market.
Privacy and consent advocates have questioned whether notifying passengers when recording is activated without offering an explicit opt‑in meets India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act consent standard, which requires consent to be “free, specific, informed, unconditional and unambiguous with a clear affirmative action,” according to reporting by MediaNama. MediaNama and other commentators note that voice and image are personal data under the DPDP framework, which heightens legal obligations compared with the earlier IT Act regime.
Uber has maintained the feature is compliant with applicable laws but has not publicly explained how notification without an explicit opt‑in satisfies DPDP consent criteria, according to available reporting. Critics say the current approach effectively leaves passengers with a binary choice accept recorded rides or cancel a trip after booking rather than a clear affirmative consent mechanism.
The rollout comes as India phases in DPDP compliance obligations through 2027; the law also carries significant penalties for non‑compliance, which reporting places at up to INR 250 crore per instance. The debate highlights the tension between platform safety measures designed to protect drivers and riders and the stricter personal‑data consent requirements introduced under the DPDP framework.
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