What We Don’t Know About Uber’s New Teen Accounts in India 

Uber has begun testing its teen-focused service, Uber for Teens, in India, reported TechCrunch. 

The service is currently available in Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, and Mumbai, with Uber confirming plans to expand to 35 cities in the coming weeks, including Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune.

The service allows parents and guardians to create accounts for their teenagers (ages 13 to 17), enabling them to request rides independently from their own devices. It also offers features such as live trip tracking and optional audio recording.

In India, Uber requires guardians to link a credit or debit card to their account before inviting a teenager to their family profile. Once added, both guardians and teens can use any payment method, including cash, to book rides.

Guardians can also arrange rides for their teenagers and set monthly trip limits to control the number of rides. 

Unclear Consent Process for Additional Teen Riders

According to details on the support page, teens can also bring along other riders aged 13-17. However, it remains unclear how the consent process for this will function.

This raises concerns about parental oversight and accountability. Since the service allows guardians to control their teen’s rides, it remains unclear whether additional teen riders need approval from their own parents or the primary guardian booking the ride. Without a clear consent mechanism, potential safety, responsibility, and liability issues may arise, particularly in emergencies or disputes. 

Queries 

However, here is everything we don’t know about Teen Accounts in India. We have reached out to Uber with the same, and we will update the copy as and when we receive a response from them. 

How will liability be attributed to additional teen riders?

If a teen brings another rider (aged 13-17) along, who is responsible in case of an accident, misconduct, or fare-related dispute? Will Uber hold the primary account holder’s guardian accountable, or will there be a mechanism to verify the consent of the accompanying teen’s parents? 

How will Uber establish a verifiable parent-child relationship under the DPDP Act?

With India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act enforcing rules on minors’ data processing, how will Uber verify that the guardian setting up the Teen Account is actually the teen’s parent or legal guardian? Will Uber require government-issued IDs, Aadhaar verification, or some other form of authentication to comply with data protection regulations?

What is Uber’s mechanism for obtaining verifiable parental consent?

Given that Uber allows teens to book rides independently, how does the company ensure parental consent is explicit, informed, and verifiable? Will Uber implement multi-factor authentication (e.g., OTP confirmation, government ID checks, or consent forms), or will simply adding a payment method be considered sufficient consent?

How will Uber handle misconduct reports involving teens?

How will Uber handle issues if a teen rider claims overcharging, driver misconduct, or an unsafe trip? Will there be dedicated teen-specific support or escalation mechanisms involving parents?

What safeguards exist to prevent unauthorised ride bookings by teens?

While Uber allows guardians to set monthly trip limits, are there safeguards to prevent unauthorised or excessive ride bookings? Can parents restrict destinations, set curfews, or receive instant alerts for each ride? Given that cash payments are allowed, how does Uber ensure that teens are not using the service beyond what their guardians intended?

How Uber is Wooing Users in India

Uber’s decision to introduce its teen-focused service in India nearly two years after its United States and Canada launch aligns with its broader strategy to expand in a highly competitive market. By catering to young riders, Uber aims to attract a new user base early. Moreover, this move positions the company to better compete with domestic rivals like Ola, Rapido, Namma Yatri, and BluSmart. 

Uber’s expansion of its Teen Accounts to approximately 50 countries (according to the company’s Q4 results) also highlights the company’s global strategy to tap into younger demographics and potentially aim to build long-term customer loyalty.

In India, Uber also scrapped trip-based commissions for auto drivers in India, shifting to a subscription model like Ola, Rapido, and Namma Yatri. Under this system, drivers keep the full fare, with no cancellation fees or Uber intervention in fare disputes. This move aims to attract more drivers, enhance earnings, and staying competitive in the auto-rickshaw market.

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