Uber fined record €825 million for automatically deactivating drivers without warning

The Dutch data protection authority Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP) has imposed a €824.9 million fine on Uber for violating the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is the largest financial penalty the company has ever faced in Europe.

According to the AP, between 2018 and 2022, Uber's system automatically deactivated driver accounts without any human intervention and without prior notice. This caused drivers to lose their source of income instantly, which the regulator classified as a breach of GDPR rules.

The investigation was triggered by complaints from 171 French drivers who turned to a local human rights organization. The case was subsequently transferred to the Netherlands, where Uber's European headquarters is located.

Uber has stated that it disagrees with the regulator's findings and considers the fine disproportionate. The company plans to appeal the decision. A company representative emphasized that Uber takes driver rights seriously and that its policy includes both human oversight and the possibility to appeal account blocks.

Monique Verdier, deputy chair of the AP, said that the company committed serious violations by deactivating accounts, as drivers lost their income immediately due to automated actions. She noted that a computer cannot independently make decisions that have such severe consequences.

This is not the first time Uber has clashed with the regulator. In 2018, the company was fined €600,000 for data protection violations, and in 2023 it received a €10 million penalty for similar infractions.