Dutch regulator fines Uber $966M for automating driver suspensions

The Dutch Data Protection Authority handed Uber a €825 million fine on August 17, 2026, roughly $966 million at current exchange rates, for violating GDPR rules around automated decision-making. The ruling makes this the second-largest penalty ever issued under the regulation, sitting behind only the €1.2 billion fine levied against Meta in 2023. The core problem, in the regulator’s view, is straightforward: Uber’s algorithms were suspending and deactivating driver accounts, often on suspicion of fraud, without giving drivers adequate notice or a real path to challenge the decision. GDPR specifically requires that automated systems with significant consequences for individuals include a meaningful human review component. Uber’s did not. What Uber’s system actually did The complaints that triggered this investigation originated with French drivers, and the incidents in question span 2020 to 2022. Uber’s automated systems were flagging accounts and locking drivers out of their livelihoods, sometimes permanently, based on algorithmic assessments they couldn’t see, dispute, or appeal through any substantive process. Uber pushed back on the scale of impact. The company said 126 drivers ...