Sen. Ossoff, bipartisan group of Senators are taking action to prevent human trafficking following Uber’s announcement allowing minors to request rides without accompanying adults
Sen. Ossoff continues working to protect Georgia’s children from harm and abuse
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is launching a bipartisan inquiry to protect minors using rideshare platforms from human trafficking.
Uber recently announced that it would begin allowing minors 13 to 17 years old to request rides without an accompanying adult. The program is being launched in cities around the country, including Atlanta.
This week, Sens. Ossoff, Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are calling on rideshare platforms to prevent criminals from using their platforms to transport human trafficking victims.
“Tragically, ride-hailing apps like Uber have been used for sex trafficking. Reports from survivors indicate that ride-hailing apps are among the most used means of transportation in sex trafficking,”Sen. Ossoff and the bipartisan group of Senators wrote in the inquiry. “We are concerned that the measures taken to date are insufficient to address trafficking on the company’s ride-hailing service, especially given Uber’s recent announcement … The company can and must do more to shield everyone — both children and adults — from trafficking.”
In recent years, there has been a spike in reports of rideshare services like Uber and Lyft being used as vehicles for exploitation and abuse.
The bipartisan group of senators is seeking additional information about what steps each company is taking to combat trafficking on its app, including what kind of training and resources are available for drivers to recognize and respond to trafficking.
Although platforms like Uber currently offer human trafficking awareness education to its drivers, the company’s recent announcement is creating concern for millions of families whose children use ridesharing platforms in their everyday life.
Sen. Ossoff continues working to keep Georgia’s minors safe.
Last year, Sen. Ossoff’s bipartisan bill to protect children from online predators and sexual exploitation passed the U.S. Senate.
Please find Sen. Ossoff’s bipartisan inquiries to Uber and Lyft.
