Italy fines Meta US$880mil over photo privacy

Italy's data protection authority has imposed a substantial fine of €805 million (US$880 million) on Meta, the parent company of Facebook, for unauthorized access to users' photos without explicit consent. Through its Facebook application for Android devices, Meta violated users' privacy by accessing and utilizing their photographs, videos, and associated metadata without proper consent or adequate communication.

The authority's statement revealed that the penalty reflected the significant number of users impacted, the persistent breach, and Meta's refusal to cooperate throughout the investigation. The regulatory body took into account the extensive user base of approximately 20 million Android users in Italy, the ongoing infringement for those who had not updated the app and had not explicitly granted consent, as well as Meta's lack of cooperation during the investigation.

The fine represents roughly 0.4% of Meta's annual 2025 turnover, which amounted to US$201 billion, and its net profit of US$60.5 billion.