Regulators across Europe are already taking action against Uber’s data practices.
In August 2024, the Dutch Data Protection Authority fined Uber €290 million for unlawfully transferring European drivers’ personal data to the United States without adequate safeguards — a serious breach of the EU’s data protection rules.
Importantly, this investigation began after more than 170 French Uber drivers filed complaints through a French human rights organisation, which then brought the matter before France’s data protection authority.
Full credit for initiating this regulatory action belongs to those French drivers, who are continuing their legal fight.
This enforcement action — widely reported in major international media — demonstrates that:
- European regulators recognise serious problems in how Uber handles driver data
- Driver-led complaints can trigger major legal consequences
- Data protection violations in Uber’s systems are not theoretical — they have already resulted in record fines
Read BBC Coverage: Uber Fined €290m for Personal Data Transfers
Why this matters for the Algorithmic Pay Claim
The same driver data that regulators found was unlawfully transferred is also used to power Uber’s automated pay and trip allocation systems.
If data protection rules were breached in one area of Uber’s operations, it raises serious questions about the lawfulness and transparency of the broader algorithmic systems determining driver earnings.
Drivers in France took action. Regulators responded.
Now drivers across Europe have the opportunity to assert their rights collectively.
