Uber

On August 21, 2026, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) fined Uber €824,990,000 for violating GDPR's prohibition on fully automated decision-making. Between 2018 and 2022, Uber used software to automatically deactivate driver accounts based on suspected fraud or low customer ratings without human review, and failed to adequately inform drivers that automated decision-making was in operation, causing immediate loss of platform income for affected drivers. The investigation stemmed from a complaint by 171 French drivers via human rights group Ligue des droits de l'Homme to French regulator CNIL, coordinated with the Dutch AP under GDPR's one-stop-shop mechanism since Uber's EU headquarters are in the Netherlands. It is the AP's fourth fine against Uber (following fines in 2018, 2023, and 2024); Uber has appealed the decision.

Uber and Lyft sued to block New York City's Local Law 52 of 2026, which would have required the companies to show just cause, give 14 days' advance notice, follow progressive discipline procedures, and allow outside review before deactivating a driver's account -- protections covering roughly 87,000 NYC drivers. On July 21, 2026, US District Judge Gregory H. Woods granted a preliminary injunction blocking the law before its July 28 effective date, ruling Uber and Lyft were likely to succeed on claims that the law violated the Contracts Clause, Due Process Clause, and First Amendment, and finding the law protected 'only a narrow class of drivers' without advancing broader interests.

On June 3, 2026, Uber slashed its HR/People division by nearly a quarter (~340 people). The cuts came weeks after Chief People Officer Nikki Krishnamurthy stepped down on May 11. Uber stated the cuts were 'unrelated to AI,' though they followed a broader industry pattern of AI-driven restructuring across tech companies.

Under Mexico's 2024 platform-worker labor reform reclassifying app-based workers as employees, companies faced their first annual profit-sharing (PTU) distribution deadline in 2026. Uber refused to distribute payments, arguing it had formed a new corporate entity to comply with the labor reform and was therefore exempt from first-year profit-sharing obligations, despite having operated in Mexico for over a decade. Union leader Sergio Guerrero (UNTA - National Union of Application Workers) publicly disputed the exemption claim. Workers held a nationwide two-hour work stoppage on May 15, 2026 protesting unfair rates, wage suppression that keeps drivers below benefit-eligibility income thresholds, and the profit-sharing refusal, demanding a collective labor agreement.

On April 21, 2026, Rideshare Drivers United (~20,000 members) filed lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court alleging Uber violated California's Proposition 22 by failing to provide adequate appeals for driver deactivations. Named drivers include Devins Baker (8-year driver, deactivated for hard braking to avoid a pedestrian, received only 'copy and paste responses') and Mirwais Noory (father of four, forced to relocate family after deactivation). Documented problems include bot-based initial contact, offshore call centers working from scripts, no transparency about which passenger complained, and decisions appearing predetermined.

Uber abandoned its 2030 commitment to achieve 100% electric vehicle fleets in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company discontinued monthly EV bonuses for drivers in December 2025, eliminating a key incentive program. Additionally removed climate language from April 2025 investor materials and made ESG reports inaccessible. Despite original $800 million 'Green Future' pledge, only $439 million was invested as of May 2025. Current electrification rates show only 9% in North America, 15% in Europe, and 40% in London - far from goals. Uber is actively fighting electrification requirements in California, New York City, and Toronto. The reversal followed President Trump's inauguration, to which Uber donated $1 million.

Department of Justice filed lawsuit against Uber seeking $125 million for systemic discrimination against passengers with disabilities, including those who use service animals and mobility devices. DOJ alleges Uber and drivers routinely refuse service to individuals with disabilities, impose improper surcharges (cleaning fees for service animal shedding), charge cancellation fees to denied riders, and refuse reasonable modifications like allowing mobility-disabled riders to sit in front seat. Uber received over 21,000 service animal discrimination complaints between 2017-2019 with 'no material decrease' despite 2016 class action settlement. Named plaintiff Ryan Honick documented a decade of complaints since 2014. Hundreds protested at Uber's San Francisco headquarters on October 15, 2024 over ride denials.

Uber stopped using DEI goals for executive compensation, dropped promises to include women and minority candidates when filling board seats, and removed statistics about board diversity from its 2025 proxy statement. The company's 2024 annual report omitted sections about diversity efforts and didn't mention the word 'diversity' at all.

Uber contributed $1 million to Trump's 2025 Presidential Inaugural Committee. This is notable as CEO Dara Khosrowshahi was a vocal Trump critic in 2017-2018, having opposed the travel ban and publicly criticized Trump on Twitter.

Uber launched industry-first women rider preference feature on November 29, 2024 in India, expanded to six US cities (Baltimore, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland, Washington DC) on October 17, 2025. Feature gives women drivers option to receive trip requests exclusively from women riders, especially helpful during late hours. Used on more than 150 million trips globally, with quarter of women drivers turning it on at least once a week and more than half keeping it on for over 90% of their trips. Feature enables over 21,000 trips in India alone. Aims to improve safety and comfort for both female drivers and riders.

In November 2024 the UK Supreme Court ruled definitively that Uber operates as the principal contractor in passenger transport agreements rather than a booking agent for individual drivers, meaning Uber must charge 20% VAT directly on UK ride fares. The decision came after HMRC litigation, settlement negotiations, and a parallel 2021 Supreme Court worker-classification ruling. Uber recognised approximately £1.5 billion in back VAT obligations.

Uber introduced multiple accessibility features on October 10, 2024: (1) Self-identification for blind/low-vision riders allowing them to disclose disability status and communication preferences to drivers after trip acceptance; (2) Self-identification for deaf/hard-of-hearing riders with chat/phone preference options that prevent unwanted calls when chat-only selected; (3) Mandatory service animal education video sent to all US drivers, designed with blind and service animal advocacy organizations, covering service animal rights and reminder that denying rides violates Uber policy and federal law; (4) Pilot program for voluntary service animal advance notification in US and Canada. Features aim to improve accessibility and reduce discrimination, though launched after company received over 21,000 service animal complaints and faced October 2024 protests.

Uber expanded 'Record My Ride' feature to drivers in all 50 states on September 18, 2024, following successful pilot program. Feature allows drivers to use front-facing camera on their smartphone to record video and audio during trips without need to invest in separate dashcam. Every recording is encrypted and stored directly on drivers' devices - nobody including Uber, riders, or other drivers can access recordings unless driver chooses to send it in for review. Feature provides drivers with evidence protection tool in case of disputes or safety incidents while protecting rider privacy through encryption and local-only storage.

Uber launched nationwide rider verification system on September 18, 2024, allowing drivers to see 'Verified' badge for riders who underwent additional verification steps. System reviews rider account details such as names and phone numbers and cross-references them with trusted third-party databases. Majority of riders are verified automatically without additional action. Riders can also upload government-issued identification along with selfie for verification. Feature aims to improve driver safety and confidence in accepting trip requests. Announced at 'Only on Uber' event in Washington, DC.

Dutch Data Protection Authority fined Uber €290 million for transferring personal data of EU drivers to the United States without adequate protection between August 6, 2021 and November 21, 2023. Data included account details, taxi licenses, location data, photos, payment details, identity documents, and in some cases criminal and medical data of drivers. Uber stopped using Standard Contractual Clauses from August 2021, leaving driver data insufficiently protected. Uber responded it would appeal, calling the decision 'completely unjustified.' An additional €10 million fine was imposed in January 2024 for related data access rights violations.

On July 25, 2024, the California Supreme Court unanimously upheld Proposition 22, allowing Uber and other gig companies to classify drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. Uber and other gig companies had spent $200 million to pass Prop 22 in 2020 - the most expensive ballot measure in California history.

Uber paid $148 million (part of $175 million combined with Lyft) as restitution to Massachusetts drivers who were underpaid by the company. Most drivers who completed trips for Uber between July 14, 2020, and July 2, 2024 in Massachusetts are entitled to payment. Settlement requires Uber to pay drivers minimum of $32.50 per hour (increased to $34.48 effective January 15, 2026) for time spent traveling to pick up riders and transporting them to their destination. Drivers also receive guaranteed paid sick leave, earning one hour of sick pay for every 30 hours worked, up to maximum of 40 hours per year. The settlement preserves the flexibility of independent contractor model and avoids potentially negative decision on driver classification.

Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved Uber's 1.5°C aligned near and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets and verified Uber's net-zero science-based target by 2040. Uber became one of more than 600 companies to have net-zero commitments validated by SBTi. Commitments included: zero-emission mobility platform by 2040 globally, 100% zero-emission rides in US/Canada/Europe by 2030, zero-emission rides in London/Amsterdam and 50% in 7 European capitals by 2025, and $800 million 'Green Future' program for driver EV transition. Note: These commitments were later abandoned in December 2025.

New York Attorney General secured $290 million from Uber (part of $328 million combined with Lyft) to settle allegations the company unlawfully withheld wages from over 100,000 drivers and failed to provide mandatory paid sick leave in New York state. Largest wage-theft settlement won by NY Attorney General. From 2014 to 2017, Uber deducted sales taxes and Black Car Fund fees from drivers' payments when those taxes and fees should have been paid by passengers. Settlement grants drivers one hour of sick pay for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours per year, starting February 29, 2024. Settlement does not change gig worker status in New York State - drivers remain classified as independent contractors.

Joseph Sullivan, Uber's former Chief Security Officer, was criminally convicted on October 5, 2022 and sentenced May 4, 2023 to three years probation and 200 hours community service for obstructing FTC investigation and failing to report a felony. Sullivan concealed 2016 data breach affecting 57 million Uber users while company was under FTC investigation for 2014 breach. He arranged for Uber to pay hackers $100,000 in bitcoin in December 2016 to keep breach secret. In September 2018, Uber paid $148 million multistate settlement for covering up the 2016 breach. The 2016 breach exposed over 25 million names and email addresses, 22 million names and mobile phone numbers, and 600,000 names and driver's license numbers of U.S. users.