Uber needs to know where to pick you up and where to drop you off, but it also wants to know where you go next.

The ride-booking tool has concerned privacy campaigners and passengers alike with an update to its app that allows Uber to access your location even when you're not actively using it.

"Uber collects your location data from the time of the trip request through five minutes after the trip ends, including when the app is in the background," the update notification reads. "We do this to improve pickups, drop-offs, customer service, and to enhance safety."

Users need to click "Allow" for Uber to be able to collect the data, but if they choose to opt out it turns off all location services used by the app, meaning you'll need to enter your location in manually in order to use Uber's existing features. Uber points out that you can also turn off location data via your phone settings, though that will affect all of your apps, including Uber's own app, so you'll again have to type your location in manually.

"Uber should only collect the data that they need in order to provide a service. If they decide to increase the data they collect, they need to be very clear about why it is needed," Pam Cowburn, communications director at Open Rights Group, told IT Pro. "Rather than giving customers the stark choice between always and never sharing data with Uber, they could give more tailored choices that puts us in control of our data."