Italy has imposed an €805 million ($887 million) fine on Meta, accusing the company of using photos and videos stored in Android users’ galleries on Facebook without obtaining specific consent or providing sufficient information.
The Italian Data Protection Authority said the feature, known as “Get suggestions from gallery when browsing Facebook,” breached a European privacy directive incorporated into Italian law. The rules treat smartphones as part of an individual’s private sphere and require consent to be “free and informed” before such access is granted, the authority said.
Investigators determined that the feature was switched on by default. They also found that Facebook sought access to users’ galleries through a single permission covering several app functions with different purposes.
The authority ordered Meta to deactivate the feature within 60 days and obtain separate consent before using it. Italy is home to about 20 million Android users, according to the agency.
Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The penalty was issued against Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, which disputed Italy’s authority to pursue the case, according to the statement.
The authority said Meta’s “lack of cooperation” during the investigation contributed to the penalty, which represents roughly 0.47% of the company’s global turnover.
