DoorDash fined $2 million for spamming Australian customers

DoorDash, a US-headquartered food delivery service, has paid a $2.01 million fine for sending over 1 million texts and emails to customers and prospective drivers, in breach of Australian spam rules.

The company sent “more than 566,000 promotional emails to customers who had unsubscribed from these messages” and “more than 515,000 texts without an unsubscribe facility to prospective drivers”, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said.

The ACMA said it investigated the company after receiving complaints. 

The spam activity occurred between February and October last year.

The ACMA said its investigation revealed DoorDash “had mis-characterised texts sent to prospective contractors as being solely factual in nature, and therefore outside the scope of the spam rules.”

But it said that “the messages contained commercial aspects, such as offers and incentives intended to promote a business opportunity as a delivery driver.”

In addition to the fine, DoorDash has entered a “comprehensive three-year court-enforceable undertaking” that will see it make improvements and file regular updates to the regulator.