Dutch watchdog penalize Yango taxi app for storing customer data on Russian servers

Dutch regulators have imposed a €100 million fine on the operator of ride-hailing app Yango, developed by Russian tech giant Yandex, over allegations that sensitive customer and driver data was stored on servers in Russia where authorities said it could potentially be accessed by the state.

The penalty was issued on May 8 by the Dutch Data Protection Authority against Amsterdam-based MLU B.V., which operates Yango across Europe, Dutch media reports.

Yango, a ride-hailing platform similar to Uber, operates in more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, including Azerbaijan.

According to the Dutch watchdog, MLU transferred personal data belonging to users in Norway and Finland to Russia without sufficient safeguards, violating the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Under EU privacy rules, personal data may only be transferred outside the bloc if the receiving country guarantees protections broadly comparable to European standards.

“In Russia, personal data is not as well protected as in Europe. This means the Russian government could potentially access this data,” Dutch regulator chief Aleid Wolfsen said.

Dutch authorities said the transferred information included scans of drivers’ licenses, home addresses, bank account details, contact information, photographs, ride histories, precise location data and messages exchanged through the app.

The regulator ordered MLU to immediately halt any further transfers of such data to Russia or face additional penalties.

Norway’s privacy watchdog said the issue was particularly sensitive because Russian authorities could theoretically use the data to track movements in a country that shares a border with Russia.

The €100 million fine was calculated based on Yandex’s reported 2024 revenue of more than €12 billion, in line with EU rules linking penalties to the turnover of a company’s parent group.

MLU denied the allegations and said it plans to appeal the decision.

By Nazrin Sadigova