Uber Fined $966M Over Automated Driver Suspension Practices

The Dutch Data Protection Authority has fined Uber €825 million (approximately $966 million), the second-largest penalty under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation. The fine follows investigations into Uber’s practice of deactivating driver accounts through automated systems without sufficient human oversight or warnings. Deputy chair Monique Verdier criticized Uber for allowing computers to make decisions with major consequences, while Uber argued that most suspensions are temporary and subject to human review. A former Uber driver in France, Brahim Ben Ali, collected testimonies from 170 drivers and brought the complaint to the Netherlands, where Uber’s European HQ is located. The Dutch regulator has previously fined Uber €290 million for data handling issues and €10 million for related problems. Paul-Olivier Dehaye of PersonalData.io plans to launch a class-action lawsuit against Uber, with potential expansion into other gig economy cases. Critics like John Gruber argue that blaming automated systems overlooks human decision-making policies, while Dehaye emphasizes Uber’s responsibility as an employer rather than a marketplace.