A UK court has ruled that Uber must pay £6.5 million to a woman who claimed she was raped by one of its drivers in 2017.

The court found that Uber had breached its duty of care towards the victim, whose identity remains anonymous, and failed to provide her with adequate support after the incident. The case is believed to be one of the first times a UK court has ruled on an Uber-related rape claim, and its outcome is likely to have significant implications for thousands of other cases against the ride-hailing company. Uber’s failure to implement adequate safety measures, including background checks and vehicle tracking systems, was also criticized by the judge. The ruling comes as part of a wider trend towards greater accountability among tech giants, who are facing increasing scrutiny over their handling of user data and reports of abuse and harassment. In a statement, Uber said it “deeply regrets” the victim’s experience and committed to improving its safety measures. However, the company will likely face further pressure to take action in response to this ruling and others like it. The case is expected to be taken up by the UK’s Transport Secretary, who has vowed to crack down on ride-hailing companies over their handling of user safety and data protection issues. As the ride-hailing industry continues to grow, concerns are growing about how tech giants will be held accountable for their role in facilitating abuse and harassment.