The enforcement action targets a system where Facebook relied on broad, app-wide permissions rather than obtaining specific consent to use media libraries for post suggestions. Authorities pointed to the vast user base affected, an ongoing lack of cooperation, and persistent issues on outdated apps to justify the severe penalty. To comply with the order, the company must deactivate the tool by default and seek explicit user permission within 60 days. This substantial fine adds to mounting global regulatory pressure following a massive data-handling judgment against the firm in the United States.
Key points
Regulators cited Meta's lack of cooperation and the massive number of impacted users as k…: Regulators cited Meta's lack of cooperation and the massive number of impacted users as key reasons for the landmark penalty.
The company faces heightened global scrutiny after recently receiving a record twenty-fiv…: The company faces heightened global scrutiny after recently receiving a record twenty-five billion dollar fine in New Mexico.
Technology platforms must implement separate and specific consent mechanisms rather than…: Technology platforms must implement separate and specific consent mechanisms rather than relying on broad device-level authorizations.
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- Published
Italian regulators have fined social media giant Meta €805m (£670; $887m) for accessing Android users' photos without their specific consent.
Italy's Data Protection Authority said Meta did not properly inform about 20 million smartphone users that it had access to their photos and videos via a feature of the Facebook app.
It has given Meta 60 days to disable the feature by default and seek users' consent separately.
The fine is among the largest an Italian authority has ever imposed on a tech giant.
The charge is related to a feature which suggests photos and videos from a user's phone gallery as ideas for posts.
Facebook requested access to users' photo galleries through a single app-wide authorisation. According to the Italian regulator, a preceding notice did not make clear that this would also allow Facebook to generate suggestions based on photos in their gallery.
The regulator said it took into account "the high number of people affected" and the fact it is "still ongoing for those who have not updated the app and for those who have already…
Regional policymakers and industry leaders are scrambling to assess supply chain stability and legal ramifications following an internal board inquiry into the semiconductor giant's leadership. The leadership change stems from an admitted personal relationship with a former executive alongside espionage allegations, threatening major regional investments. Key allies are seeking immediate delivery guarantees to prevent disruptions to critical artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The technology company confirmed that all operations have returned to normal following an incident that disrupted users across the globe. System recovery efforts concluded after widespread connectivity issues affected access internationally. Normal functionality has been successfully reestablished across the entire affected infrastructure.
Regulators targeted an Android feature within Facebook that automatically combed through personal media galleries to suggest content for posting without clear permission. The decision signals intensifying enforcement against default privacy settings under European Union rules, specifically penalizing the tech giant for previous non-compliance and an uncooperative approach. With roughly 20 million local users potentially exposed, the sanction represents the largest penalty ever levied by the national watchdog.