Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced a bill Wednesday aimed at boosting passengers’ safety and privacy when in the vehicles of ride-sharing service drivers.
The measure, titled the Safe and Private Rides Act, would require transportation network companies to alert passengers if their driver is using a video recording device in the car, according to the bill text first obtained by The Hill.
Should the bill pass, passengers would also be given the option to opt out of riding with a driver with a dashcam.
The senators argue a lack of transparency surrounding dashcams in ride-sharing apps could violate passengers’ privacy, noting millions of people in the U.S. use these transportation services daily.
“Passengers shouldn’t have to sacrifice their right to privacy the moment they step into a rideshare vehicle, and they deserve to know when they are being recorded,” Blackburn wrote in a statement.
The bill would also empower the Federal Trade Commission to enforce the transparency requirements, Blackburn’s office said.
“Folks using rideshare services deserve to have peace of mind about their digital privacy during a ride, which includes knowing if they will be filmed before calling a ride,” Welch said.
While ride-sharing service drivers are increasingly depending on technology and dashcams to boost safety in their cars, Blackburn’s office noted there have been instances of drivers later releasing the footage online.
In a 2018 report, an Uber and Lyft driver described how he used $3,000 worth of cameras to record and livestream passengers’ rides on the platform Twitch. In some cases, the passengers’ names or homes were mentioned, The New York Times reported.
“Rideshare companies have become a source of convenience and accessibility, and they are an example of American innovation,” Blackburn’s office wrote. “As they grow, their drivers should be able to use technology to protect themselves, and passengers should be able to make decisions to preserve their privacy.”
The Tennessee Republican has long advocated for online privacy for users and supports a federal “preemptive privacy bill.”
This push often dovetailed with her criticism of Big Tech companies, which are accused of neglecting the privacy and safety of users, especially young users. Over the past few sessions, Blackburn has co-introduced the Kids Online Safety Act, which would establish a duty for online platforms to prevent and reduce dangers to minors.
