Italy fines Meta €805m over accessing users' photos
Italian regulators have fined Meta €805 million for accessing Android users' photos without explicit consent. The fine stems from a feature that suggested photo-based posts without clearly informing users about the extent of the data access.
Why it matters
This represents one of the largest fines ever imposed by an Italian authority, highlighting the increasing regulatory pressure on big tech regarding user privacy and data transparency.
Image source, Getty Images By George Wright Published 31 minutes ago Italian regulators have fined social media giant Meta €805m (£670; $887m) for accessing Android users' photos without their specific consent.
Italy's Data Protection Authority said Meta did not properly inform about 20 million smartphone users that it had access to their photos and videos via a feature of the Facebook app.
It has given Meta 60 days to disable the feature by default and seek users' consent separately.
The fine is among the largest an Italian authority has ever imposed on a tech giant.
The charge is related to a feature which suggests photos and videos from a user's phone gallery as ideas for posts.
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in