Uber Not Offering “Walking Buddy” Option: Viral Screengrab Resurfaces

Like many, I often do a late-night scroll on social media. While scrolling through the memes, the engagement and baby announcements, and the weird AI filters some people are really getting into, I came across a screen grab of Uber pricing. What made it “stop-scrolling worthy” is that on the list of transportation options was a “walking buddy” option. Interestingly, this same screengrab has made an appearance last year and has resurfaced once again.

It’s true when people say, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” This is especially true in the age of AI and deep fakes. But the post I saw on Facebook seemed believable. It was shared by a verified account and has racked up over 203k impressions, over 54k shares, and more than 7.1k comments.

If you open up your Uber app and request a ride, you will not see the “walking buddy” option. I only checked to see if this news has changed since last year's rounds. Interestingly, Reuters Fact Check previously did a deep dive into this screengrab. According to the report, the image was first circulated in 2020, when Uber quoted the post with a tongue-in-cheek comment, saying “Gotta get those steps in."

An Uber spokesperson, Conor Ferguson confirmed via email to Reuters that the screenshot is fake. While many users recognized the tweet as a joke, some took it seriously.  One post on X, formerly known as Twitter, with the screenshot, received over 219,000 likes and over 23,000 retweets at the time of writing.

If you must know: Uber does offer many services like rideshare, delivery, bikes and scooters, and more. But nothing about walking buddies, at least according to their website.

Recently, someone took to Reddit to share the screengrab, saying “Idk if this is actually real but it’s hilarious either way. Also, why are they holding hands [laughing emoji].” Several people took to the thread to let the poster know it was not real. Someone jokingly wrote, “It’s funny I just picture someone walking up like here take my hand. Let’s go.” One person said, “Main question is why am I paying to walk.” The comment that took the cake was someone saying, they’ll only do it if they’re “getting carried” on the transports back.

But some people didn’t get the memo. “Creeps are def going to sign up for this s---. The number of cancelations will skyrocket,” someone said. Another person said, “I ain’t paying Uber for someone to walk with me the f---. And Ubers assault numbers are way too high to trust any of their employees to walk you somewhere.”

We've officially entered an era where seeing is no longer believing. Some people have become photoshop wizards and AI can now fully create images, videos, and voices, and these creations are popping up more and more.

If you encounter something on social media and are unsure of its authenticity, search for the company's name online. You might find a website, news story, or user review that clarifies whether what you're seeing is genuine. Additionally, visiting the company's website directly and checking the "Frequently Asked Questions" or company information sections can also be helpful.