Dutch Regulator Fines Uber €825 Million Over Driver Deactivations

The Dutch Data Protection Authority fined Uber Technologies Inc. €825 million for violating the General Data Protection Regulation between 2020 and 2022. The penalty, the second-largest ever issued under GDPR, stems from Uber's use of automated systems to suspend and deactivate driver accounts without providing sufficient information to the affected workers.

The investigation began following complaints from drivers in France regarding deactivations based on ratings and suspensions linked to fraud. The regulator determined that Uber violated the right of drivers not to be subject to automated decision-making that carries significant consequences, stating that the company also violated the right to be informed.

Uber Technologies Inc. intends to appeal the decision, describing the fine as disproportionate and noting that the practices in question ended years ago. While the regulator claims some drivers were permanently deactivated by computer due to low ratings, Uber disputes this, asserting it never automated permanent deactivation decisions and that only 126 drivers were affected by low-rating deactivations in 2021.