Dutch Watchdog Fines Uber $324-M For Unsafe Transfer Of Driver Data To The U.S.

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) fined ridesharing app Uber $324 million, for transferring the personal data of its European drivers to the U.S. without proper protections, Clyde Hughes reported for United Press International (UPI).

The DPA stated that Uber collected data including account details, taxi licenses, location data, photos, payment details, and identity documents over a period of more than two years. I Photo: Ian Forrester Flickr

The DPA accused Uber of a "very serious" violation by collecting sensitive information on drivers in Europe and storing it on servers in the United States without using transfer tools that would protect the data.

"In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) protects the fundamental rights of people by requiring businesses and governments to handle personal data with due care," Aleid Wolfsen, the Dutch DPA chairman, said in a statement.

"But sadly, this is not self-evident outside Europe."

The DPA stated that Uber collected data including account details, taxi licenses, location data, photos, payment details, and identity documents over a period of more than two years.

The data was transferred from Europe to Uber's U.S.-based headquarters. Additionally, criminal and medical records were also stored and transferred in some instances.