Italy fines Meta €805m over access to Android users' photos
Italy's data authority says Meta did not properly tell 20 million users that Facebook could access their photos, and has given it 60 days to change the feature.
This story was written with AI assistance and reviewed and published by an editor.
Italy's data protection authority has fined Meta €805 million, saying the company gained access to Android users' photos without proper consent. Meta says it strongly disagrees and calls the penalty disproportionate.
The regulator says roughly 20 million smartphone owners were not clearly told that the Facebook app could reach pictures and clips stored on their handsets. Few penalties imposed by an Italian authority on a tech giant have been bigger.
What the feature does
The case concerns a tool that suggests pictures and videos from a person's phone gallery as prompts for new posts. To work, the Facebook app asked for access to the gallery through a single permission covering the whole app. According to the regulator, the message shown beforehand did not make it clear that this would also let the app create suggestions based on the content of those photos.
What the regulator wants
Meta has been given 60 days to switch the feature off by default and to ask users separately for their consent. The authority said it took account of how many people were affected, and noted that the issue continues for users who have not updated the app and also for people who already agreed under the old system.
Meta's response
The company says the tool is a straightforward way to help people post photos and videos, and it points out that a device-level permission is needed first. It disputes how the regulator read the facts, how it applied the law, and how large the penalty is. Meta may challenge the decision, though the reports we reviewed do not say whether an appeal has been filed [VERIFY].
Why it matters
European regulators have taken an increasingly firm line on how large platforms ask for permission to use personal data. A fine of this size sends a signal to other companies that a single, broad permission prompt may not be enough when a feature uses personal content in a new way. For ordinary users, it is a reminder to check which apps can see their photo library and to review those settings.
What happens next
The 60-day deadline will be the next test. If Meta changes the feature, other countries may watch to see whether similar action follows.
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Frequently asked questions
How much has Meta been fined?
€805 million, by Italy's data protection authority.
What did the regulator object to?
It says Meta did not clearly tell about 20 million users that Facebook could use access to their phone galleries to suggest photos and videos for posts.
What happens within 60 days?
Meta has been told to disable the feature by default and ask users for separate consent.
