My Tiny Feed

nos.nl

Dutch Government to Compensate Students for Discriminatory Fraud Checks

The Dutch government is returning millions to students after a discriminatory fraud detection algorithm was used by DUO, the student finance agency.

Read original article in Dutch

Dutch

Netherlands

NetherlandsGovernmentFraudDiscriminationCompensationAlgorithm

NosDuoInvestico

Robbert DijkgraafRobbert Bruins

Who issued an apology for the indirect discrimination?: The minister of Education, Robbert Dijkgraaf, initially apologized for the indirect discrimination caused by the flawed system. His successor, Robbert Bruins, is now overseeing the repayment process.
What organization implemented the discriminatory algorithm?: Between 2012 and 2023, DUO, the organization responsible for student financial aid, used an algorithm that disproportionately targeted students with a migration background for fraud checks.
What kind of compensation will the affected students receive?: Students will receive compensation for any fines or reimbursements levied based on the flawed system, and those who had their housing status incorrectly changed will receive the difference in financial aid.
Which investigative outlets revealed the biased nature of the algorithm?: The discriminatory algorithm was stopped after investigations by NOS op 3 and Investico revealed its biased nature, leading to the current compensation effort.
How many students will receive compensation for the discriminatory fraud detection?: The Dutch government will return money to approximately 10,000 students and former students due to discriminatory fraud detection practices.

Jan 23, 04:12

Dutch Court Orders Reduction of Nitrogen Pollution

A Hague court ordered the Dutch government to significantly reduce nitrogen pollution in protected nature areas by 2030, or face a €10 million fine, following a lawsuit by Greenpeace due to the government's failure to address critically high levels of nitrogen oxide pollution, mainly stemming from agriculture and transportation, which threatens biodiversity.

Jan 23, 16:14

Sharp Drop in Cocaine Seizures in European Ports Amidst Record Production

Cocaine seizures in Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Vlissingen dropped by over 50% in 2024 to 82,500 kilos, due to smugglers shifting routes to West Africa and employing new methods to hide smaller amounts of drugs, while cocaine production reached a record high of four million kilos in 2023.

Jan 23, 16:14

Dutch Childcare Benefits Scandal: Compensation Process Crippled by Systemic Failures

A Dutch government report reveals major flaws in the compensation process for victims of the childcare benefits scandal, estimating full recovery to take 15-20 years due to bureaucratic failures, conflicting interests, and a lack of trust between the government and victims.

Jan 23, 10:08

Drug Seizures, Housing Shortages, and Same-Sex Marriage in the Netherlands

Dutch Customs announced 2024 drug seizure figures; cocaine remains the most prevalent drug. A new report shows that fewer than half of Dutch municipalities are meeting the government's target of constructing 30 percent social housing in new buildings. Thailand legalized same-sex marriage.