Is this Uber's creepiest idea yet? Taxi firm patents a strange feature that looks through social media to couple up UberPool users

The 'UberPool' feature lets users share a ride with strangers to save money
The app has filed a patent for a feature that would read users' social media
Uber would then pair up UberPool users based on common interests
The firm hopes that the feature will make UberPool a less awkward experience

Published: 06:56 EST, 3 February 2017 | Updated: 07:05 EST, 3 February 2017

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Carpooling with Uber is a strange experience at the best of times.

The app's 'UberPool' feature allows users to share a car with other passengers travelling the same way, saving money and the environment.

But sparking conversation with a total stranger can prove difficult, while sitting in prolonged awkward silence can be agonising.

Uber now plans to solve this problem by using the social media profiles of UberPool riders to find mutual connections and interests between them for an easy ice-breaker.

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A patent filed by Uber outlines a feature that would data-mine riders' social media profiles for personal information. The app would then match UberPool pairs who shared mutual friends, home towns, hobbies, or who went to the same University

UBERPOOL'S NEW FEATURE

The feature would data-mine riders' social media profiles for personal information.

The app would then match UberPool pairs who shared mutual friends, home towns, hobbies, or University education.

Users would then receive a notification letting them know what the common link is between their UberPool partner.

The patent states that UberPool riders would have the option to connect on Facebook before the ride has begun, sparking concerns over users' privacy.

Uber outlines in a patent a feature that would data-mine riders' social media profiles for personal information.

The app would then match UberPool pairs who shared mutual friends, home towns, hobbies, or who went to the same university.

Users would then receive a notification letting them know what the common link is between their UberPool partner.

'The system can access social media data for the requesting user and carpool riders,' Uber states in its patent.

'When the accessed social media data indicates a common link between the requesting user and the carpool rider(s) the system can generate and transmit a notification to the requesting user indicating a common link.'

The patent states that UberPool riders would have the option to connect on Facebook before the ride has begun, sparking concerns over users' privacy.

The patent was originally filed in July last year and has not yet been granted.

It is not guaranteed that Uber will integrate the feature into its app.

The patent, originally filed in July last year, states that UberPool riders would have the option to connect on Facebook before the ride has begun, sparking concerns over users' privacy

This isn't the first time Uber has integrated social media into its user experience before.

Users have had the option to summon a ride through Facebook messenger since 2015.

And Uber recently added a feature that uses Snapchat to let users' friends know they are on their way.

Uber told MailOnline that they had no comment on the patent as 'it's just an application at the moment.'