Uber Plans To Ban Passengers With Bad Ratings

Thanks to Uber, we can now live in our very own episode of Black Mirror.

On Wednesday, the ride-sharing company announced that it will start banning passengers who do not reach a minimum rating on its system. Critics of the move have instantly drawn comparisons to the popular Netflix show.

In Nosedive, a rating-based society ultimately destroys a young woman’s life in a dystopian future.

According to Kate Parker, Uber’s Head of Safety Brand and Initiatives, drivers are required to meet standards. Now, the playing field is being leveled to extend to passengers.

There have been countless reports over the years that drunken or aggressive passengers have caused a ruckus on their journeys. Even Uber’s founder and former CEO, Travis Kalanick, has been guilty of bad behavior on the service.

Uber will share tips with passengers on how to maintain a high rating and remain on the platform. These include avoiding leaving trash in the car, encouraging polite behavior, or avoiding requests for drivers to break the speed limit.

This is one of the latest moves by the ride-hailing company following a string of reforms from the new CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi. In 2017, Khosrowshahi joined the company to tackle a crumbling reputation of violence, abuse, and ‘bro’ culture among employees.

In May 2019, Uber went public and is now valued at around $82 billion.

Do you have a good rating on Uber? Are you concerned about dystopian moves from private companies? Let us know in the comments.