Connecticut has joined the other 49 states and District of Columbia in an agreement with ride-sharing company Uber Technologies to resolve an investigation into the company’s year-long delay in reporting a data breach to the states and its affected drivers.
Two years ago the San Francisco-based Uber learned that hackers had gained access to some personal information the company maintains about its drivers, including driver’s-license information for approximately 600,000 drivers nationwide.
Under terms of the settlement Uber has agreed to pay $148 million to the states and will strengthen its corporate governance and data security practices to help prevent a similar occurrence in the future.
Connecticut’s share of the settlement funds is $4.5 million. From that sum the state will pay each eligible Connecticut Uber driver $100. Eligible drivers are those whose driver’s license numbers were accessed during the 2016 breach (some of whom may no longer be driving for Uber). In Connecticut, 3,549 drivers were possibly affected.
“Companies in possession of personal information have a responsibility under Connecticut law to keep that information safe,” said state Attorney General Jepsen. “When that data is exposed, they have a responsibility to report it within a time period prescribed by law, which Uber clearly and plainly did not do.”
