# Italy fines Meta €805m over Facebook’s use of phone galleries

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/italy-fines-meta-e805m-over-accessing-users-photos/
- Published: 2026-11-14T16:29:48+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-14T17:32:24+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Technology (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwn83gxemk35o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Europe, Technology, World

## Key points

- Meta was fined €805m over Facebook’s use of Android users’ photos.
- About 20 million people were affected.
- Italy ordered separate consent and default-off settings within 60 days.

## Summary

Italy’s Data Protection Authority has fined Meta €805m for accessing Android users’ photos and videos without clearly explaining how Facebook would use them. The case matters because the regulator says the practice affected about 20 million people and is still continuing for some users.

Facebook’s app requested access to a phone’s photo gallery through a single authorisation, then used images to suggest ideas for posts. The regulator said the notice did not clearly explain this use and ordered Meta to disable the feature by default within 60 days and obtain separate consent. It cited the number of people affected and Meta’s lack of co-operation; the company was also recently ordered by a US judge to pay $25bn over its handling of user data.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.