cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/28209968

Anvi Ahuja received a text message transcript of her conversation with her roommates during their Lyft ride home on March 11.

The company confirms the incident took place, but has offered varying explanations.

After CBC Toronto contacted Lyft about this story last week, a Lyft representative called Ahuja. She says they told her the company is running a pilot program where audio is recorded from some rides and then the transcript is supposed to be sent to the ride-sharing company for reference if a security issue is reported.

In a statement to CBC, a Lyft spokesperson acknowledged that the ride-sharing company has an in-app audio recording pilot in select U.S. markets with “strict opt-in protocols” but said this incident is not related to that pilot program or any other feature being tested by Lyft.

  • joshchandra@midwest.socialEnglish
    42·
    12 days ago

    It wasn’t her phone that did it:

    “Some sort of recording software was used in the car — that in itself is a breach of my privacy,” she said.

    The lesson is to avoid these services if possible or communicate sensitive info silently/by text when you’re not in a trusted vehicle.

      • Empricorn@feddit.nlEnglish
        11·
        12 days ago

        Or it was included (correctly or incorrectly) as part of Lyft’s test program where they record audio, and they’re lying.

      • edric@lemm.eeEnglish
        8·
        12 days ago

        If drivers opt-in to it, they should make it SOP to inform the rider at the beginning of the ride that they are being recorded.

        • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.clubEnglish
          3·
          12 days ago

          That seems to be SOP for Uber. They flat out say that you may be recorded on rides, presumably for safety reasons.