The Dutch data protection authority has fined Uber €825 million ($966 million) for allegedly deactivating driver accounts through automated systems without providing adequate information or meaningful human review.
The penalty would become the second-largest fine issued under Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), behind only the €1.2 billion ($1.4 billion) penalty imposed on Meta by Ireland in 2023 over unlawful transfers of European Facebook users’ data to the United States.
Uber said it strongly disagrees with the decision and plans to appeal the fine, arguing that the company takes driver rights seriously and provides human review processes and opportunities for drivers to challenge suspensions.
GDPR concerns over automated decisions
The Dutch regulator said Uber committed serious violations by deactivating driver accounts without sufficient warning or human involvement.
According to the authority, automated decisions had major consequences for drivers who could suddenly lose their income without adequate explanation or the ability to challenge the outcome.
European GDPR rules restrict decisions made entirely by algorithms when they significantly affect individuals, including employment-related decisions. Such actions require meaningful human oversight and a process for people to contest decisions.
Case involved driver suspensions between 2018 and 2022
The investigation originated from a complaint filed by French drivers and was handled by the Dutch regulator because Uber’s European headquarters are located in the Netherlands.
The case focused on incidents between 2018 and 2022, when Uber used automated systems to suspend some drivers suspected of fraudulent activity.
Examples included situations where algorithms determined that drivers had taken unnecessary routes to increase fares or accepted trips without intending to complete them.
Uber said these suspensions were generally temporary and that permanent account deactivations did not occur without human review.
However, the Dutch authority said some drivers with low customer ratings were permanently removed from the platform through automated processes. Uber disputed that claim, stating it had never automated permanent deactivation decisions.
Uber disputes the size of the penalty
Uber argued that the fine was disproportionate, noting that only a limited number of drivers were affected.
The company said that in 2021, only 126 European drivers had their accounts deactivated due to low customer ratings.
The Dutch regulator said the penalty was calculated as a percentage of Uber’s 2025 global turnover.
Growing regulatory pressure on technology companies
The Uber case adds to increasing regulatory pressure on major U.S. technology companies operating in Europe.
European regulators have issued billions of euros in fines against companies including Meta, Google, Apple and Amazon over privacy, competition and digital market concerns.
Many of these penalties have been reduced or overturned after lengthy appeals, but they remain a major source of tension between the European Union and U.S. technology companies.
Potential legal action from drivers
Digital rights group PersonalData.IO, which helped French Uber drivers obtain information about algorithmic decisions affecting their work, welcomed the ruling.
The group’s founder, Paul-Olivier Dehaye, said it is preparing a class action lawsuit seeking compensation for drivers affected by Uber’s automated decision systems.
