Netflix / Black Mirror
- Uber will soon ban passengers with low ratings, the company announced this week.
- The company did not say what minimum riders would need to meet or what infractions might ding them the most.
- Twitter users compared the new plan to Black Mirror and China's social credit system.
- Want to increase your rating? Here's how, according to more than two dozen drivers.
Uber announced this week that it will soon ban passengers whose rating falls to levels that the company deems unacceptable.
It's similar to the system drivers have long known affected their ability to work, and is part of making respect a "two way street," the company explained in a blog post.
But not everyone is on board with the idea.
Shortly after the plan, but no details on things like minimum ratings, was announced, Twitter lit up with criticism and praise of the forthcoming rules. The overwhelming response was a comparison to a 2016 episode Netflix show Black Mirror, which depicts a world in which all citizens can rate each other. Those scores then have an impact on everything from housing to weddings.
Other people said the move by Uber, which is now a near-ubiquitous service in most major US cities, was akin to China's social credit system, which is designed to reward and penalize people based on their behavior.
Worries about how ratings might differ for groups of people based on things like age, race, and gender were also front of mind.
But of course, the plan did find some fans.
The Independent Drivers Guild, which represents thousands of app-based drivers in New York, praised the move by Uber as a way to protect drivers, especially in the wake of a violent attack caught on video this week.
"Holding riders accountable for their behavior on the Uber platform is an important safety measure to protect drivers as well as fellow riders who may book shared rides," the group said in a statement. "While most riders are respectful, banning riders who threaten driver safety, spew racist rants, and disrespect or damage our vehicles is the right thing to do. For too long there has been one-sided accountability and this is a positive step toward correcting that."
What do you think of the plan? Get in touch with this reporter at grapier@businessinsider.com.
Two reactions:
1. Good for Uber
2. Seems like we're not too far from that Black Mirror society where our rankings define what services we can use and where we can live https://t.co/4gqk8AGlZK
- Alex Kantrowitz (@Kantrowitz) May 29, 2019
Just heard @uber is going straight up Black Mirror on people with low ratings & while I am proud of my 4.84 star rating, I pray for the day I can embrace my inner Susan. #nosedive
- rori (@rooaaarrrr) May 30, 2019
We'll have a defacto equivalent to that Chinese social rating system in ten years. https://t.co/MY9FKHTOyK
- Caleb Garrett (@bad_garrett) May 30, 2019
today in "yes the U.S. has a social credit system and it's in some ways more sophisticated and operational than China's aspirational centralized system" https://t.co/74xXfHVnCi
- Ben Walsh (@BenDWalsh) May 29, 2019
would love to see some data on how ratings vary by race, gender (and more) if we're going down this roadhttps://t.co/URguSTMNWi
- Zachary Tracer (@ZTracer) May 29, 2019
What'll you do about drivers who already mark disableds as "no show" & zoom away when they see us, @Uber? I mean, besides refund fees with a token apology & pretend they're not employees so you can't *really* do anything about it, but you sure are trying?https://t.co/4Xw3gUBylw
- Lydia Rivers (@planet_lydia) May 30, 2019
#Uber is correct to (finally) go after bad riders - if you have a low rating, you should also be charged a premium extra fee that goes 100% to the driver for taking a risk on you.
Always tip drivers (100% goes to drivers)https://t.co/k3DJWq2qNT
- Evan Parker (@evanparkersf) May 29, 2019
đź‘Ť step by Uber to bar riders with low ratings@tonywest @barneyh @dkhos would suggest much stricter $ penalties on smoking before entering, causing trash or mess, ban on eating during ride.
Also add a tip rating (rider tips X% of time) and default tipshttps://t.co/eNw4IijwKh
- Brian Davis (@svsfo) May 29, 2019