The Dutch Data Protection Authority has slapped Uber with a hefty €825 million fine for automatically suspending driver accounts without proper human oversight. The move is the second-largest penalty under Europe’s GDPR and highlights growing concerns over automated decision-making in the gig economy.

Uber maintains that most suspensions are brief, requiring human review before permanent deactivations. However, the fine stems from instances where drivers were permanently deactivated without human intervention—a claim Uber disputes.

The case originated with Brahim Ben Ali, a former Uber driver who brought complaints to Dutch authorities after his own account was deactivated in 2019. Assisted by the Swiss nonprofit PersonalData.io, which helped gather data on deactivation decisions, Ben Ali and fellow drivers aim for compensation through new legal actions.

The incident raises questions about the balance between efficiency and accountability in tech-driven employment models. As AI increasingly makes crucial decisions, will humans always be held responsible?