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Uber Fined €825 Million By Dutch Regulator Over Driver Account Deactivations

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

August 25, 2026

The Dutch Data Protection Authority has fined Uber €825 million over how the company deactivated driver accounts, according to Reuters. The penalty is the second-largest issued under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.

According to the regulator, Uber used automated processes to deactivate some drivers without adequate warning or sufficient human oversight. Deputy chair Monique Verdier said Uber had “committed serious infringements.”

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Regulator Challenges Uber’s Automated Decisions

Dutch regulators said some drivers were permanently deactivated without human review. Uber disputed the finding, saying most suspensions are temporary and permanent deactivations require human oversight.

Drivers can also appeal account decisions, Uber said, while the company confirmed it will challenge the fine. “We strongly disagree with this decision and disproportionate fine,” an Uber spokesperson told Reuters.

EU data protection rules require additional safeguards for certain automated decisions with significant consequences. The case centers on whether Uber’s use of automated systems met those requirements when account decisions could affect drivers’ ability to earn a living.

Case Began With Driver Complaints

The dispute dates back to Brahim Ben Ali, a former Uber driver in France. After his account was deactivated in 2019, Ben Ali gathered testimony from 170 other drivers and brought the complaint to the Netherlands, where Uber has its European headquarters.

Swiss digital rights nonprofit PersonalData.io supported the drivers and helped them collect information about Uber’s deactivation process. Founder Paul-Olivier Dehaye said the case showed how account decisions can affect drivers’ income.

“A driver can complete a thousand journeys with satisfied passengers, but if just one person reports a very serious problem, the consequences can be enormous,” Dehaye said.

Uber Faces Further Regulatory Action

According to Dehaye, the €825 million penalty is the third fine the Dutch regulator has imposed on Uber. Previous penalties included a €290 million fine over the handling of drivers’ personal data and a separate €10 million penalty related to privacy violations.

Dehaye said he plans to pursue a class action seeking compensation for affected drivers. He is also launching StartClaims, a company focused on litigation and regulatory actions, initially involving Uber and potentially other gig-economy disputes.

Debate Over Algorithmic Management

The decision has renewed debate over how platforms use software to monitor and discipline workers. TechCrunch cited a blog post by Daring Fireball’s John Gruber arguing that the ruling could make it harder for Uber to use automated systems to identify drivers accused of misconduct.

Gruber said companies, rather than computers, ultimately set the rules behind disciplinary decisions. Dehaye disagreed, saying Uber can use human decision-makers but must accept responsibility for those decisions.

Uber plans to challenge the €825 million penalty, leaving the dispute to further regulatory and legal proceedings.

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Cyprus Expects More French Visitors In 2027 As Air Capacity Expands

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 18, 2026

Cyprus expects more French visitors in 2027 as airlines increase capacity between the two countries, Tourism Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis said after meetings with tour operators in Paris.

France, one of Cyprus’ key tourism markets, has had a difficult 2026. French arrivals fell 46% year over year to 8,453 in August, from 15,663 a year earlier, according to the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat). August arrivals were also nearly 50% below the 16,798 recorded in the same month of 2024.

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Overall, Cyprus received 2.82 million tourist arrivals between January and August, down 7% from the same period in 2025.

Air Connectivity Supports 2027 Outlook

Koumis discussed the 2027 outlook with senior executives from tour operators offering Cyprus holidays during the IFTM Top Resa travel trade fair in Paris.

Higher air capacity between France and Cyprus was a key focus of the talks. Participants also discussed the impact of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East on the French market and Cyprus’ efforts to adapt its tourism offering to French travelers.

“The French market is undoubtedly an extremely important market for our country’s tourism,” Koumis said, adding that France had regained importance only a few years ago and still had room to grow.

Improved air connectivity will be an important factor in that expansion, according to Koumis. “It is now clear that air connectivity between France and Cyprus is improving significantly, which is a basic prerequisite for the further growth of the market,” he said.

Cyprus Promotes Tourism And Regional Cooperation

Koumis attended the opening of IFTM Top Resa at the invitation of French Tourism Minister Serge Papin, who later visited the Cyprus stand. Held from Sept. 15 to 17 at Paris Porte de Versailles, the event brought together more than 32,000 tourism professionals representing 177 destinations and 1,650 brands, according to organizers.

During his visit, Koumis also met Egyptian Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy. Cyprus and Egypt reaffirmed their tourism cooperation and discussed opportunities to strengthen ties further.

French media interviews covered Cyprus’ tourism offering, infrastructure and services, along with efforts to develop specialized tourism products. Regional instability weighed on arrivals in 2026, particularly during the spring, although the decline narrowed over the summer.