Dutch regulator fines Uber €825 million over automated driver suspensions
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority fined Uber €825 million ($966 million) for deactivating driver accounts through automated systems without adequately informing them from 2020 to 2022. Uber said it will appeal the decision, which would be the second-largest GDPR penalty after Meta's €1.2 billion fine in 2023.
Key Facts
- The Dutch Data Protection Authority fined Uber €825 million ($966 million) under GDPR for automated driver account deactivations without adequate information.
- The penalty is the second-largest GDPR fine, behind Meta's €1.2 billion fine imposed by Ireland in 2023.
- Uber said it will appeal the decision and disputes some facts and the size of the fine.
- The case concerns incidents from 2020 to 2022 and was handled by the Dutch regulator because Uber's European headquarters are in the Netherlands.
The Fine
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) decided to fine Uber €825 million ($966 million) under European data protection rules for deactivating driver accounts through automated systems without adequately informing them, according to an August 17 decision reviewed by Reuters. The penalty would be the second-largest ever issued under Europe's General Data Protection Regulation, behind a €1.2 billion fine imposed on Meta by Ireland in 2023 for unlawfully transferring European Facebook users' data to the United States. Uber said it would also appeal, stating it strongly disagrees with the decision and disproportionate fine.
Violations
The AP determined that Uber violated drivers' rights, specifically the right not to be subject to automated decision-making that has significant consequences. Uber also violated the right to be informed, and the agency considered it a serious matter worthy of the large fine. The case concerns European incidents in 2020 to 2022, stemming initially from a French complaint. It was handled by the Dutch regulator because Uber's European headquarters are in the Netherlands.
Uber's Response
Uber temporarily suspended some drivers who were suspected of fraud, including when its systems concluded drivers had taken unnecessary detours to inflate fares or accepted trips without intending to complete them. Uber says it did not permanently deactivate such accounts without human review. Drivers with low customer ratings were sometimes permanently suspended. Uber said it no longer makes permanent deactivation decisions solely through automated systems.
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Dutch regulator fines Uber €825 million over automated driver suspensions
