Technology Desk: The company's problems seem to be increasing regarding Uber and AI. In Europe, Uber has been fined about €825 million i.e. more than Rs 9,000 crore for automatically suspending and deactivating drivers' accounts. This action has been taken by the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) of the Netherlands. The regulator alleges that Uber took decisions against some drivers that did not have adequate human oversight.
Decisions against drivers taken through AI system
The issue pertains to Uber's systems that were used to process drivers' accounts. According to the regulator, the company's automated system suspended or deactivated the accounts of some drivers in cases like suspicion of fraud or low customer ratings.
In some cases, the decision to permanently remove drivers from the platform was also taken through the computer system. This had a direct impact on his earnings from Uber.
Accused of not giving correct information to drivers
The Dutch Data Protection Authority says Uber did not provide affected drivers with sufficient information about what kind of automated process was used to decide against them. Under GDPR rules, automated systems cannot be relied upon to make decisions that have a significant impact on an individual. In such cases, necessary human review and opportunity to challenge the decision should be given.
The case is between 2018 to 2022
According to Reuters report, this matter is related to events between 2018 and 2022. The complaint was filed in France, but due to Uber's European headquarters being in the Netherlands, the case was investigated by the Dutch Data Protection Authority.
Uber expressed disagreement with the allegations
Uber has expressed disagreement with this decision. The company says that most drivers' suspensions are temporary. According to Uber, a human review is conducted before permanently deactivating a driver. The company has also said that drivers have the option to appeal against the decision.
big fine of gdpr
This fine of approximately €824.99 million is among the largest fines ever imposed under the GDPR. According to available reports, a larger GDPR fine was imposed on Meta in 2023, amounting to €1.2 billion. This case shows that for companies, the use of AI is not just a matter of technology and convenience. When AI takes a decision that affects a person's job or earnings, transparency and human monitoring also becomes necessary.