Italy’s data protection regulator has fined Meta Platforms €805 million ($887 million) for allegedly accessing Android users’ private photos and videos without their permission or properly informing them about how their personal content was being used through Facebook.
Italy’s data protection regulator has fined Meta Platforms €805 million ($887 million) for allegedly accessing Android users’ personal photos and videos without their permission or clearly explaining how their content was being used.
The regulator said Meta was able to access users’ photos and videos through a Facebook feature that suggested pictures and other content from their phone galleries that they could share on the platform.
The authority raised concerns that users were not properly informed about how the feature worked or given a clear choice before their personal files were accessed.
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As part of its decision, the regulator ordered Meta to turn off the feature by default within 60 days. The company must also obtain separate permission from users before accessing content from their personal photo galleries.
The investigation started in 2025 but did not cover whether Meta used the photos and videos to train its artificial intelligence systems. The company had previously denied using the content for this purpose, according to the authority.
The regulator also said it could separately investigate another feature introduced in 2026. This newer feature allows users’ gallery content to be processed through cloud-based systems.
Meta had not yet released an official response to the fine at the time of the announcement.
According to the Italian authority, the €805 million penalty is equivalent to around 0.47 percent of Meta’s total global revenue.
The case brings renewed attention to online privacy and how technology companies handle personal information. As social media platforms continue to introduce new features, questions remain about whether users are fully aware of how their private photos and videos are accessed, stored, and processed.
The decision serves as a reminder that technology companies must respect users’ privacy, clearly explain how personal information is handled, and obtain proper permission before accessing private content. / Reuters
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