Uber has launched a controversial new service allowing teenagers aged 13 and over to catch rides from drivers with approved working with children checks, despite mounting safety concerns from child protection advocates.

The ride-sharing giant has introduced a three-way intercom feature and live tracking as safety measures, but experts warn these safeguards are insufficient to protect young passengers.

Child safety advocate Hedy Johnson has slammed the proposed protections, saying “the current working with children safety check is like having an ashtray on a motorbike”.

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West Australian journalist Kate Emery agrees with the criticism, pointing to recent cases where people with working with children checks have committed serious offences.

“We’ve seen very recently how much these working with children checks actually mean,” Emery said during a panel discussion on The Debrief.

“People who have had these checks commit assaults.

“I’m not sure how many people are going to feel comfortable chucking their 13-year-old in the backseat of an Uber.”

Southern Cross Austereo News Director James Royce raised concerns about enforcement, questioning who would actually monitor the safety measures.

“It’s probably all going to be technology,” Royce said.

“This is up to parents, right? If they feel safe putting their kids in the Uber kids ride, great.

“But it only takes one incident for the whole program to become under fire.”

The service includes an additional $2 fee, which Uber says helps ensure safety protocols are maintained.

However, both experts expressed reservations about entrusting teenagers to unknown drivers.

“Some of these drivers, you know, they’re fanging it down the street, they’re on their phone,” Emery noted from her experience as a regular Uber passenger.

The launch comes as parents increasingly seek convenient transport options for their teenagers, but the debate highlights ongoing concerns about child safety in the gig economy.