Meta hit with $887M fine for accessing users' personal media
What's the story
Italy's data protection agency has slapped a huge fine of $887 million on Meta Platforms. The penalty comes over allegations that the tech giant accessed photos and videos stored by Android users without their consent or knowledge. The regulator said Meta had accessed these personal media files without properly informing the users or getting their permission first.
Revenue impact
Fine equivalent to about 0.47% of Meta's global revenue
The fine imposed by Italy's data protection agency is equivalent to about 0.47% of Meta's global revenue, according to a Reuters calculation.
The penalty relates to a Facebook feature that suggested photos and videos from users' phone galleries for sharing on the social media platform.
The Italian authority has given Meta 60 days to change this feature so it remains disabled by default until users give their consent.
Regulatory scrutiny
Investigation into Meta began in 2025
The investigation into Meta began in 2025 and focused on how the company handled photos and videos stored on Android devices.
The Italian data protection agency found that users were not properly informed about how their personal content was being accessed or given a clear opportunity to give consent.
However, the regulator clarified that its investigation did not look at whether this content was used for training artificial intelligence (AI) models.
Legal challenges
Regulatory pressure on Meta over handling of personal information
The Italian fine adds to the mounting regulatory and legal pressure on Meta over its handling of personal information.
In a separate case in the US, a New Mexico court had ordered the company to pay $25 billion after a jury found it liable for misleading residents about its collection and protection of personal data as well as its handling of harmful content on its platforms.