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Uber riders with bad ratings could be banned for life

Riders who do get banned by Uber can be banned for life, losing access to their Uber account.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Uber is taking a stand, and some riders may end up getting banned by the app for bad behavior. 

In an update to the company’s Community Guidelines announced this week, the company said it will start banning riders who have “significantly below average” rider ratings.

“Respect is a two-way street, and so is accountability,” wrote Katie Parker, Uber’s Head of Safety Brand and Initiatives in a blog post on Wednesday. “Drivers have long been expected to meet a minimum rating threshold which can vary city to city. While we expect only a small number of riders to ultimately be impacted by ratings-based deactivations, it’s the right thing to do.”

Riders who do get banned by Uber can be banned for life, losing access to their Uber account, the Uber rider app, the Uber Eats app and the JUMP app.

“Each city has its own minimum threshold which is directly related to the average rider rating in that city,” said Stephanie Smith, a Senior Public Policy Manager for Uber in a statement emailed to 10News. “While we aren't releasing the minimum rating level, any rider at risk of deactivation will receive several notifications and opportunities to improve his or her rating. Ultimately, we expect this to impact only a very small number of riders who have been consistently rated poorly by drivers and, as a result, have a low rating.”

Uber created its global Community Guidelines standards in 2016 in an effort to establish an atmosphere of respect and safety among Uber riders and drivers.

The U.S. and Canada are the first to get the updated guidelines, and riders will now see a full-screen summary of the guidelines and be asked to confirm and acknowledge the changes.

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