Amsterdam, Netherlands — Uber has been fined €825 million, or about ₹9,226 crore, by the Dutch data protection regulator over allegations that driver accounts were suspended or deactivated through automated systems without adequate human involvement, according to Reuters.
- Key Highlights:
- The Dutch data protection watchdog imposed an €825 million penalty on Uber.
- The regulator said automated account deactivations amounted to “serious infringements”.
- Uber strongly disputed the decision and called the fine disproportionate.
- The case concerns incidents in Europe between 2018 and 2022 and originated from a complaint filed in France.
Why Uber was fined ₹9,226 crore
The Dutch regulator said Uber breached European data protection requirements by allowing automated systems to make decisions affecting drivers without sufficient human involvement. According to the regulator, some drivers could lose access to their work and income without receiving an adequate warning or meaningful human review.
Deputy chair Monique Verdier said the regulator considered Uber’s conduct serious because decisions made by automated systems could have major consequences for drivers. The watchdog’s position was that a computer should not independently make decisions with such significant effects on a person’s livelihood.
The penalty relates to Uber’s handling of driver accounts in Europe. The investigation was taken up by the Dutch authority because Uber’s European headquarters are located in the Netherlands.
What GDPR says about automated decisions
The case centres on provisions of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, commonly known as GDPR. The rules restrict companies from relying solely on automated processing when a decision has a significant effect on an individual.
Such decisions are required to include meaningful human involvement and provide affected individuals with an opportunity to challenge the outcome. The regulatory concerns in Uber’s case therefore extend beyond account suspensions to the way automated decision-making systems are used by digital platforms.
The investigation began after a complaint was filed in France and covers incidents that occurred between 2018 and 2022. The Dutch regulator subsequently handled the matter because of Uber’s European headquarters in the Netherlands.
Uber disputes the regulator’s findings
Uber rejected the regulator’s conclusions and strongly criticised the size of the penalty. The company said it takes drivers’ rights seriously and maintains procedures that include human reviews as well as mechanisms through which drivers can challenge account suspensions.
Uber also disputed the claim that it used automated systems to permanently deactivate drivers. The company said its systems were used to temporarily suspend some drivers suspected of fraudulent activity, while permanent deactivation decisions were not made automatically.
According to the company, the automated systems could identify suspected behaviour such as unnecessary detours intended to increase fares or accepting journeys without intending to complete them. Uber maintained that these measures were generally temporary.
Dispute over permanently deactivated drivers
The Dutch regulator reached a different conclusion regarding some cases. It said drivers with low customer ratings were sometimes permanently deactivated automatically.
Uber rejected that finding and argued that the number of affected drivers was limited. The company said 126 drivers across Europe had been deactivated in 2021 because of low customer ratings.
The company also argued that the penalty was excessive in relation to the number of drivers involved. The Dutch regulator, however, said the fine was calculated using a proportion of Uber’s annual turnover for 2025.
Uber penalty comes amid wider EU-US technology disputes
The Uber case comes against a wider backdrop of European regulatory action involving major US technology companies. European regulators have imposed substantial penalties on companies including Meta, Google, Apple and Amazon over issues involving privacy, competition and digital market regulations.
Some of those penalties have subsequently been reduced or overturned following lengthy appeals. US President Donald Trump has also criticised European penalties imposed on American technology companies.
In April, a US State Department official described the fines as the “biggest single source of friction” in US-EU economic relations, according to the supplied report.
The Uber case highlights the regulatory challenge facing technology platforms that increasingly rely on automated systems to monitor activity and make operational decisions. For drivers, the central issue is whether decisions that can affect their ability to earn income are subject to meaningful human oversight and an opportunity for review.
Disclaimer: This article is based solely on the supplied news agency and source material. The allegations, regulatory findings and Uber’s responses are reported as stated in that material and should not be interpreted as an independent legal determination. The final outcome may be affected by any review, appeal or subsequent legal proceedings.
Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Content Creator of The Nation Bulletin, an independent digital news platform focused on delivering timely, reliable and meaningful news from India and around the world.
