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Uber fined €825 million for automated driver account deactivations
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) has imposed an €825 million fine on Uber, marking the second-largest penalty ever issued under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The sanction follows an investigation into Uber’s use of automated systems to suspend or deactivate driver accounts between 2018 and 2022.
The regulator found that Uber’s algorithms made significant decisions affecting drivers’ livelihoods—such as deactivating accounts due to suspected fraud or low customer ratings—without sufficient human oversight or adequate notification to the affected individuals. This practice was deemed a violation of Article 22 of the GDPR, which restricts decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
The investigation was prompted by complaints from 171 drivers, supported by the human rights organization Ligue des droits de l’Homme. Uber has labeled the fine “disproportionate” and announced its intention to appeal, maintaining that its current systems include human reviews and that most suspensions are temporary.
Entities
Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens · Dutch Data Protection Authority · European Union · GDPR · Ligue des droits de l’Homme · Monique Verdier · Uber
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 13 SOURCES] Uber used automated systems to suspend or deactivate driver accounts between 2018 and 2022 without meaningful human intervention. espiganoticias.net · kowchecking.com · brandsit.pl · www.it-boltwise.de · vinciworks.com · +8 more
- [● 13 SOURCES] The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) imposed an €825 million fine on Uber. espiganoticias.net · kowchecking.com · brandsit.pl · www.it-boltwise.de · vinciworks.com · +8 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] The probe was initiated following complaints from 171 drivers represented by the Ligue des droits de l’Homme. www.ad-hoc-news.de · techmoran.com · www.zdnet.fr · techcrunch.com
- [● 9 SOURCES] This is the second-largest fine ever imposed under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). espiganoticias.net · brandsit.pl · www.it-boltwise.de · vinciworks.com · bmmagazine.co.uk · +4 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] Uber disputes the decision and intends to appeal the fine. espiganoticias.net · kowchecking.com · brandsit.pl · www.it-boltwise.de · vinciworks.com · +4 more