Dutch watchdog imposes €825 million Uber penalty over driver suspensions
The Dutch Data Protection Authority has imposed an €825 million fine on Uber, roughly $966 million, over the automated deactivation of driver accounts. Reuters described it as the second-largest penalty issued under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The investigation followed complaints that Uber suspended drivers through an automated process without enough warning or human oversight. Deputy chair Monique Verdier said Uber had committed “serious infringements” and argued that a computer should not independently make decisions with consequences of that scale.
Dispute over human review
Uber said it will appeal, calling the decision and fine disproportionate. The company maintains that most suspensions are short, that permanent deactivations do not occur without human review, and that drivers can appeal decisions.
The Dutch regulator contests part of that account, saying some drivers were permanently deactivated without human review. The disagreement places the practical design of automated enforcement systems at the centre of the case: not only whether a platform can detect suspected misconduct, but who makes the consequential decision and how that decision can be challenged.
Driver complaints led to the investigation
Brahim Ben Ali, a former Uber driver in France, said his 2019 deactivation led him to collect testimony from 171 other drivers before taking a complaint to the Netherlands, where Uber’s European headquarters are located. Swiss digital-rights nonprofit PersonalData.io helped the drivers obtain data about the deactivation process.
PersonalData.io founder Paul-Olivier Dehaye said that a driver may complete a thousand satisfactory trips yet face severe consequences after a single report of a serious problem. He said this is the third Dutch penalty imposed on Uber, after a €290 million fine concerning the handling of drivers’ personal data and a €10 million fine tied to related issues.
Wider consequences for platform governance
Dehaye said the fines stem from complaints by the same group of drivers and that he plans to pursue a class action through which drivers could seek compensation. He is also launching StartClaims to support litigation and regulatory action, initially involving Uber and later cases in the gig economy and adtech.
The decision arrives as Uber continues broadening its platform strategy through Uber's travel, financial services and data initiatives alongside travel, financial services and data initiatives. For businesses using automated rules to restrict access to work or services, the case underscores the need for clear notice, meaningful human review and an appeal process that can address high-impact decisions.