Dutch regulator fines Uber $966m for automating driver suspensions
European regulators have imposed billions in penalties on US technology companies due to privacy, competition and digital market rules The Dutch data protection authority has fined Uber €825m ($966m) for deactivating driver accounts through automated systems without adequately informing them, according to a 17 August decision. The penalty would be the second-largest issued yet under Europe’s…
On August 17th, the Dutch data protection authority imposed a €825 million fine ($966 million) on Uber for their use of automated systems to deactivate driver accounts without proper notification, according to a decision made on August 17th. This penalty ranks as the second largest ever under Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), surpassed only by a €1.2 billion fine imposed on Meta in 2023 for unlawful data transfers to the United States.
Meta is currently appealing the decision. Uber strongly disagreed with the fine, stating that it takes drivers' rights seriously and has both human reviews and dispute mechanisms in place for platform suspensions. The Dutch authority declared Uber guilty of serious infringements by deactivating driver accounts without warning or human involvement, as Deputy Chair Monique Verdier expressed concern over the lack of human oversight in algorithmic decisions that could have major consequences.
European regulators have recently imposed billions of euros in penalties on large US tech companies for privacy, competition, and digital market violations. The EU fined Google €890 million for anti-competitive actions last month, while Meta, Google, Apple, and Amazon face multiple fines, though they are often reduced or reversed following lengthy appeals.
The case against Uber pertains to incidents in Europe from 2018 to 2022, originating from a French complaint. The regulation prohibits solely algorithmic decisions impacting people's lives, such as employment, and mandates human review and the ability to contest decisions. Uber suspended accounts of drivers suspected of fraud, including those who took unnecessary detours or accepted trips without completing them.
However, Uber disputed the agency's claim that certain account suspensions were automated, asserting that it never automated permanent deactivation decisions. The fine calculation was based on a fraction of Uber's 2025 annual turnover. A Swiss digital-rights group that assisted French Uber drivers in seeking algorithmic decision information and led to the Dutch investigation welcomed the fine, planning to file a class action suit against Uber for compensation.
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