Italy’s data protection regulator has fined Meta Platforms €805 million for accessing photos and videos from the devices of Android users without specific consent and without providing them with sufficient information. The amount is equivalent to approximately $887 million.
The penalty is related to the Facebook app and the “Get suggestions from your gallery while browsing Facebook” feature. It has been available since 2023 and offers users photos and videos from their phone gallery as ideas for posts.
“The company accessed photos, videos and the associated metadata stored on the smartphones of Italian users without obtaining specific consent and without informing them appropriately,” the Italian regulator said.
Meta must disable the feature by default within 60 days and request separate, clear and specific consent to access the gallery. The company must also explain to users what the feature is for, that it involves access to photos and videos, and how it can be deactivated.
After this period expires, the feature will not be able to be activated for users who have not given valid consent. The requirement will also apply to people who have already granted gallery access for other functions of the app.
The investigation began in 2025 following a complaint from the Consumer Protection Centre in Bolzano. According to Italian media, around 20 million Android users in Italy were affected. The regulator also noted that access to the gallery had been linked to a single general permission for the app, which did not make it sufficiently clear that it also included suggestions based on personal photos.
The investigation does not concern the possible use of the photos and videos to train artificial intelligence systems. Meta denied using the content for such a purpose.
The Italian regulator has reserved the right to conduct a separate investigation into a new feature introduced in 2026 that allows content from the gallery to be processed in the cloud. Meta did not immediately comment on the penalty.
The fine comes amid plans by the US company to raise $15 billion through a five-tranche bond issue. Meta said the funds would be used to accelerate investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure.