Italian regulators have imposed a record-breaking fine of €805 million ($887 million) on Meta, the parent company of Facebook, for accessing the photos and videos of smartphone users without obtaining their specific consent. The country’s Data Protection Authority, known as Garante, stated that the Facebook app for Android devices had been collecting images and associated metadata from user galleries without providing adequate notice.
According to the regulator, the issue stems from a specific feature labeled “Get suggestions from gallery when browsing Facebook,” which recommends content from a user's phone for potential posts. The authority found that the app’s consent process was too generic, failing to inform users that granting broad permission to the app would also allow the platform to generate suggestions based on their private image galleries. The feature was also set as a default option.
Garante emphasized that its investigation identified a “lack of cooperation” from Meta throughout the proceedings. The authority noted that the company’s previous regulatory violation in 2019 was also a factor in determining the penalty. Officials estimate that roughly 20 million Android users in Italy may have been affected by this data handling practice.
The regulator has issued a formal order requiring Meta to address these privacy concerns within 60 days. This directive stipulates that the company must disable the suggestion feature by default and establish a mechanism to seek explicit consent from users separately. While the fine amounts to approximately 0.47 percent of Meta’s global turnover, the company retains the right to appeal the regulator's decision.
Key facts
- The fine of €805 million is the largest ever imposed by the Italian data protection authority.
- Approximately 20 million Italian Android users were potentially affected by the unauthorized access.
- Meta has 60 days to disable the photo suggestion feature by default and obtain specific user consent.
- Regulators cited Meta’s lack of cooperation and a prior 2019 violation as factors in the decision.
- The investigation focused on Facebook’s access to phone gallery images, videos, and associated metadata.
Why it matters
This ruling marks a significant enforcement action regarding user privacy and the transparency of consent models for tech giants operating in Europe. By mandating that features be disabled by default, the Italian authority aims to ensure that users have clear, informed control over how their personal media is accessed by social media applications.
Background
The investigation by Garante focused on the implementation of the EU’s ePrivacy directive within the Facebook app, specifically regarding how gallery permissions are managed on Android smartphones.
Source: BBC, Al Jazeera
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