Dutch regulator fines Uber nearly $1 billion over automated driver deactivations

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) has fined Uber €825 million — roughly $966 million — for deactivating driver accounts through automated processes that lacked adequate human oversight, the regulator announced on August 23, 2026, as first reported by TechCrunch.

The investigation found that Uber suspended and permanently deactivated driver accounts using automated systems without sufficient human review or prior notice to the drivers affected, a violation of GDPR provisions that restrict fully automated decisions with significant consequences for individuals. Deputy chair Monique Verdier said plainly: "A computer should not make decisions on its own that have major consequences."

A recurring complaint against gig-economy platforms

The case traces back to a 2019 complaint from a French Uber driver whose account was deactivated. The complaint was escalated by a Swiss digital rights nonprofit and has now resulted in the third Dutch fine against Uber over related data-handling practices — a pattern that underscores how persistently automated account-management systems at gig platforms have drawn regulatory scrutiny under GDPR's automated-decision-making rules.

Uber disputes the finding. A company spokesperson said: "We strongly disagree with this decision and disproportionate fine," arguing that most account suspensions are temporary and that permanent deactivations go through human review before being finalized. Uber is expected to appeal.

Why this matters beyond Uber

The fine adds to a growing body of EU enforcement actions against platforms that rely on algorithmic decision-making to manage workers, from ride-hailing to food delivery. For any company operating gig or contractor workforces in the EU, the ruling reinforces that automated deactivation or suspension systems need a documented human-review step before consequences take effect — not just an appeals process after the fact.

The €825 million figure ranks among the largest GDPR fines issued to date, and it lands as EU regulators continue tightening enforcement around AI-driven and automated decision systems more broadly, ahead of stricter transparency requirements taking effect under the bloc's AI regulatory framework.