From Discrimination to Human Rights: The Case of a Black Uber Eats Driver and the Use of Facial-Recognition Technology in the Gig Economy

In recent years, there have been growing concerns about the use of facial-recognition technology in various industries, including the gig economy. One such case involved a black Uber Eats driver named Pa Edrissa Manjang, who faced “racially discriminatory” facial-recognition checks that prevented him from accessing the app and securing work.

Initially, when Mr. Manjang started working for Uber Eats in November 2019, the app did not regularly require him to send selfies for job registration. However, in 2021, the Microsoft-powered Uber Eats app increased verification checks, leading to his account removal due to “continued mismatches.”

Speaking on the issue, an Uber representative explained that the real-time ID check is aimed at ensuring safety for all users of the app, with human oversight to prevent unjust decisions impacting someone’s livelihood. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the App Drivers and Couriers Union supported Mr. Manjang’s case, expressing concerns that the facial-recognition AI had unfairly affected his income. The ADCU highlighted that the number of selfie requests amounted to racial harassment.

Mr. Manjang was eventually reinstated and is still working for Uber Eats in Oxfordshire. He emphasized the importance of his case shedding light on the challenges of AI, especially for low-wage gig economy workers. He hoped that his case would further strengthen the rights and protections of workers, particularly those from ethnic minorities. Baroness Falkner, chair of the EHRC, criticized the opaque processes that Mr. Manjang had to navigate and emphasized the need for clearer routes to challenge such technology.

Previous cases involving ethnicity bias in technology have raised concerns about its impact on individuals. The case of Mr. Manjang brings attention to