Meta Faces $887 Million Italian Privacy Fine Over Access to Android Users’ Photos

The decision, announced Saturday, represents a significant regulatory setback for the social media company as European authorities intensify scrutiny of how technology platforms collect and process personal information.

According to Reuters reporting on Nov. 14, the Italian data protection authority determined that a Facebook feature designed to recommend photographs and videos for sharing allowed Meta to access content stored in users’ personal galleries without meeting the necessary consent requirements.

The regulator estimated that approximately 20 million Android users in Italy were affected by the practice.

Under the ruling, Meta has 60 days to change the feature’s default settings and introduce a separate consent mechanism that clearly explains the access being requested.

Facebook Photo Suggestions Under Scrutiny

The investigation focused on a Facebook function that recommends images and videos from a smartphone’s gallery as potential social media posts.

Italian authorities concluded that the application’s existing permission system did not adequately distinguish between different uses of personal information, according to Reuters.

The feature was activated by default, while the authorization process relied on broader permissions that did not sufficiently explain how users’ private media could be accessed.

Regulators determined that the arrangement failed to satisfy privacy requirements under Italian legislation implementing the European Union’s electronic communications privacy rules.

Related: Meta Fined $597,000 by UK Regulator Over WhatsApp Data Errors

The decision highlights growing regulatory attention to the distinction between granting an application general access to device content and providing informed permission for a particular use of that information.

Meta Challenges Decision, Plans Appeal

Meta rejected the regulator’s conclusions and said it intends to challenge the penalty.

A company spokesperson described the fine as “disproportionate,” according to Reuters, and maintained that users must authorize access to their device’s media before the Facebook feature can operate.

Meta also said individuals can modify those permissions through their device settings.

The company’s position underscores a central disagreement in the case: whether granting access through Android’s permission system constitutes sufficient authorization for Facebook to use personal gallery content to generate posting suggestions.

Italian authorities concluded that additional, purpose-specific consent was necessary.

The penalty amounts to approximately 0.47% of Meta’s worldwide revenue, according to figures cited by the regulator and reported by Reuters.

Investigation Leaves AI Questions Unresolved

The regulatory inquiry began in 2025 but did not examine whether photographs and videos obtained through the feature were used to train artificial intelligence systems.

Meta has denied using the material for that purpose, Reuters reported.