Uber trip information appears in Google search results after riders share

The rides that show up on Google are from users who have chosen to share their ETA on social media, and have therefore had their data cached. In addition to the route, the maps show the first names of the rider and driver, and the auto and license plate of the driver.

But don’t share those details publicly.

When an Uber rider reaches his or her destination, the ride may be over, but information about it could live on through Google. “We have found that all these links have been deliberately shared publicly by riders”, explained an Uber spokesperson.

The map appears just as it might during the actual ride for the driver and rider on their smartphones.

The source code also reveals the addresses for the pickup and drop off points of each trip, with accompanying times. A search of the site “trip.uber.com” returns dozens of trips on the ride-hailing app.

Uber has come under fire from privacy advocates over the amount of information shared online about passengers and their routes.

Google includes tweets in its search results. Now if people choose to share that detailed info about their Uber rides, it will only be available online for two days before disappearing for good.

The tweaks done by the company can already be seen online with the website reading, “Page not found”, for the links that displayed maps on Thursday. Users simply click on “Share my ETA” on their Android or iOS app and they will be sent a text message containing a link.

However, it’s unlikely that even users who let their Facebook friends know their ETA are aware the information will be searchable in the future for friends and strangers alike.

The Uber trips are shared by the user via the Uber mobile app, allowing others to track their current location.