Chicago, Cook County sues Uber for concealing data breech

CHICAGO (AP) - Uber Technologies is being sued by the city of Chicago and Cook County on claims the ride-hailing company's 2016 data breach harmed "tens, if not hundreds, of thousands" of area residents.

Last week, Uber revealed hackers were able to steal data for 57 million riders and drivers. With the announcement, San Francisco-based Uber said it concealed the breach for a year after paying $100,000 in ransom for the stolen information to be destroyed.

The lawsuit filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court contends Uber's failure to protect consumers' personal information violated city and state laws.

The city and county are seeking a $10,000 fine "for each violation involving a Chicago resident."

Uber also faces lawsuits filed by consumers over the issue.

Uber spokeswoman Molly Spaeth said in an email the company is "committed to changing the way we do business."