The Italian Data Protection Authority has fined Meta Platforms Inc. €805 million ($887 million) for accessing the photos and videos of Android users' galleries via the Facebook application. Regulators allege that the company accessed this multimedia content without obtaining specific consent and without properly informing its users.
The social media giant is accused of failing to inform approximately 20 million users that it had access to their photos. Authorities stated that Meta violated a European privacy directive that has been incorporated into Italian law.
The regulator noted that the size of the fine was influenced by the large number of people affected and Meta's lack of cooperation. A Meta spokesperson has expressed strong disagreement with the decision, calling the fine disproportionate and stating that the company will appeal.