NEWS / Technology
Italian Regulator Hits Meta With €805 Million Fine Over Android Gallery Access
Jackson Moreland
Published Nov 14, 2026
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Summary:
- Meta Platforms Inc. was hit with a €805 million ($887 million) penalty by Italy’s data watchdog for accessing Android users’ photos and videos without their explicit consent.
- The regulator says the Facebook app pulled images, videos, and related metadata from Italian users’ phones without clear notice, estimating roughly 20 million Android users were affected.
- The penalty, levied on Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd., equals about 0.47% of the group’s global revenue and factors in a prior 2019 enforcement action.
What the regulator found
In a Saturday statement, Italy’s data protection authority said the Facebook app accessed photos, videos, and associated metadata on the smartphones of users in Italy who were on Android, doing so without first securing explicit consent and without properly informing them. The agency estimates the practice touched around 20 million Android users.
Penalty and next steps
The fine of €805 million, or about $887 million, was imposed on Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd., the company’s primary European unit, and the size reflects a previous enforcement move from 2019. The authority also signaled it may open a separate inquiry into a feature launched in 2026 that enables gallery content to be processed in the cloud.
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Requirements and timing
Meta has 60 days to roll out a separate, specific consent prompt for the feature, and the tool must remain off by default. The regulator said the sanction represents about 0.47% of Meta’s worldwide revenue. Meta did not provide an immediate comment when contacted.
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