Clear cruises into biometrics deals with Uber, 100 as it looks beyond travel

“It has to be everywhere. It is the answer to safety and customer experience.” That’s the bottom line for Clear CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker, who is leading the New York-based company into a world she believes is being transformed by biometrics, mobile technology and automated ID verification. Recent partnerships with LinkedIn, Wellstar, Public.com and other companies point to the diversification of Clear’s client list. 

“The time is now. Innovation is accelerating, and trust and safety is becoming a bigger issue. The problems are here and now. The digital transformation you see over the next few years is going to be game changing.” 

Clear and Uber partner on rider verification badge program

A news release says Uber riders who have a Clear membership will be more easily able to get a “Verified” badge that verifies their identity and lets drivers feel safer about who’s getting in their car. 

Uber debuted its rider verification program in April, awarding blue checks to riders who undergo additional identity verification measures. These checks appear on a verified user’s profile for additional trust, allowing drivers to see it alongside a rider’s first name, star rating and trip details. No other information is shared.  

The rider verification system has thus far been based on cross referencing account info and document verification, rather than selfie biometrics. But Clear’s software adds face matching to the mix. 

The company’s website has more detail: “Our rider verification process involves cross-checking a rider’s account information provided during signup against third-party databases. In cases where we can’t validate the information attached to a rider’s account, riders can choose to upload a government ID or other documentation along with a selfie to help us finish verification.” 

Fine print notes that selfies will only be required in some markets, where a government ID will be considered adequate. 

Uber says that since expanding its rider verification program across the U.S., nearly two-thirds of active Uber riders are verified. 

“Drivers tell us that knowing riders undergo these additional verification steps helps them feel safer,” says Roger Kaiser, Head of Safety at Uber. “We’ve also seen that verified riders tend to have fewer serious complaints from drivers. By leveraging Clear’s expertise in digital identity verification, we can streamline the process for their over 25 million Members to get the ‘Verified’ badge, which helps build a safer, more trusted platform.”

Network aims to speed up rental approvals with ID verification

Clear has also announced a new partnership with rental software company 100, which is launching a “Verified Renter Network” to streamline and secure rental application and screening processes.

Busy rental markets are full of stories of bad tenants, unpaid rent and financial fraud. According to a recent NMHC survey, 93.3 percent of owners have experienced fraud in the last 12 months, and 70 percent have experienced some form of identity theft. The new verification partnership aims to plug some of the holes by offering a multifamily software platform that identifies individuals who present minimal fraud and security risks to landlords. Verified applicants will have undergone a background check to ensure they meet specific standards set by a consortium of real estate owners and operators.  

For renters, the network provides “a streamlined application and screening process.”

“By leveraging Clear’s networked identity solution, we are setting a new standard for efficiency and security in residential real estate,” says Caren Maio, CEO of 100. “This partnership is game-changing, representing much-needed relief for multifamily operators burdened with rental approval decisions that have led to record levels of fraud and debt.”

The network is live now, and for a limited time is free for Clear Plus members.  

Another thing those guys at Yankee Stadium failed to consider

For anyone watching Game 5 of the recent World Series, it was apparent that the New York fans who tried to snatch a ball out of L.A. Dodger Mookie Betts’ glove had not taken enough time to consider the hundreds of cameras trained on them. The New York Times says Yankee Stadium was able to enforce the entry ban imposed on the fans using biometric technology.

An anonymous official quoted by the Times confirms that “the stadium is equipped with mechanisms to identify people who are excluded.” This presumably refers to biometrics, which Clear has previously provided for a fast-lane entry option at Yankee Stadium. 

Major League Baseball (MLB) has been steadily implementing biometric systems in select stadiums for several years. Six venues now offer its proprietary Go-Ahead Entry system, which integrates face matching technology from NEC. The league has also implemented biometrics for authentication and credentialing of staff and media.  

Ongoing commitment to transparency, privacy and data security

In a sit-down interview with the New York Post, Clear CEO and founder Caryn Seidman-Becker reflects on the company’s fourteen-year history of consumerizing biometrics, and looks ahead at its plans for continued growth. 

She says her early thesis that biometrics could make life easier for people has borne out. “Consumers now do love and trust biometrics – when they trust your brand, when they feel like their privacy is protected and when they feel like they’re getting something for it.”

An ongoing commitment to transparency, privacy and data security is essential. “It’s super important to keep building that trust and keep building those use cases.” 

While Clear was born out of a post-911 security environment heavily focused on travel, the Manhattan firm is now expanding its focus to include sectors such as healthcare, financial services and gaming, which increasingly require digital KYC and identity verification services. 

On the consumer front, Seidman-Becker says, “you think about social media, you think about trust online, you think about the shared economy, you think getting alcohol delivered to your house – there’s different pieces, there, of who you are and what you should have access to. Those are all where clear is expanding and playing and making a real difference.” 

She says travel is and will continue to be a major part of Clear’s strategy. But across industries, 

“identity matters.” To put the customer first across use cases, the company builds its software on top of what it deems to be the best available biometric algorithms. This has allowed it to make inroads through, for example, a major identity integration with the Epic health information software system. 

TSA hiccup in the past as Clear looks to drive scale, customer experience

Clear’s journey has not been without bumps. The company is largely known for its airport biometrics and the TSA PreCheck program. But in late 2023, in tandem with upgrades, it faced some ire from customers who said they were facing longer wait times than traditional security lines. There were also security breaches that raised questions about the system’s integrity. 

That said, Seidman-Becker says the dip in member experience scores has rebounded, and that initial snags have given way to new technologies that will deliver on promises presented by e-gates, handhelds, mobile driver’s licenses and other digital identity tools to make it possible to navigate an airport without breaking stride. Innovations include frictionless improvements to bag drop, ambassador programs, car rental, concessions and other points in the traveler journey. 

Clear now has competition in the airline space, as companies like Delta explore their own options for ID verification tech. But Seidman-Becker says she anticipated the boom. “We always expected biometrics to go mainstream. Travelers should expect, and frankly want, biometrics throughout their airport journey everywhere.”   

Article Topics

biometrics  |  CLEAR  |  digital identity  |  document verification  |  face biometrics  |  identity verification  |  selfie biometrics  |  Uber  |  user experience