France fines Uber 400,000 euros over huge data breach

Heavy traffic congestion, lack parking slot availability, poor quality roads, expensive vehicle ownership cycle and reducing resale value are some of the reasons why more people are preferring ride-hailing platforms like Ola and Uber. In cities people prefer taking taxis for commute rather than owning and driving themselves (Image: Moneycontrol)

France's data protection agency said that it had fined the US ride-hailing group Uber 400,000 euros ($460,000) over a 2016 data breach that exposed the personal data of some 57 million clients and drivers worldwide.

Uber drew the wrath of users and regulators after the company waited a year before revealing in November 2017 that hackers had infiltrated its systems.

The French Data Protection Authority said the breach would have been prevented "if certain elementary security measures had been in place." Uber has already paid $148 million to US authorities to avoid a potentially embarrassing court case, and vowed to improve its security efforts.

Last month, the Netherlands imposed a 600,000-euro fine over the breach and Britain ordered Uber to pay 385,000 pounds ($490,000).