---
title: "Italy fines Meta 805 million euros for unauthorized access to Android users' photos and videos"
description: "Italian regulator GPDP has fined Meta 805 million euros for Facebook's unauthorized access to Android gallery photos and videos without separate consent. Approximately 20 million users in Italy were affected."
date: 2026-11-14T18:40:28.420Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/meta-fined-805-million-euro-italy-android-privacy
tags: [meta, facebook, gdpr, data-privacy, android, italy, fines, personal-data]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Italy fines Meta 805 million euros for unauthorized access to Android users' photos and videos

## Key Points

- GPDP fined Meta 805 million euros (approx. 0.47% of global turnover) for unauthorized access to Android gallery photos and videos
- The 'Get suggestions from your gallery' feature worked since 2023 and was enabled by default
- Approximately 20 million Android users in Italy were affected by the violation
- Meta must change the app's functionality within 60 days and make the feature inactive by default
- The investigation began in July 2025 following a complaint from the Bolzano Consumer Protection Center

The Italian national regulator for the protection of personal data — Garante per la protezione dei dati personali (GPDP) — has issued a ruling imposing a fine of 805 million euros on the Meta corporation. The authority announced this decision on Saturday, November 14, 2026. According to the supervisory body, the Facebook app for Android devices had been gaining unrestricted access to photos, videos, and associated metadata in the smartphone galleries of Italian users for several years without requesting separate and informed consent. The fine amounts to approximately 0.47% of Meta’s global turnover and, according to the GPDP, reflects the scale of the violation: the regulator estimates that approximately 20 million Android users in Italy were affected.

### How the controversial feature worked

The core of the investigation was a feature titled “Get suggestions from your gallery while viewing Facebook,” available to Android smartphone owners since 2023. The mechanism analyzed the contents of the device's photo and video gallery and, based on this, suggested specific photos and clips for the user to publish on the social network. According to the GPDP, to implement this feature, the app requested a single permission that automatically applied to several related mechanisms without explaining to the user that access was effectively being granted to the entire device photo archive. Furthermore, the feature was enabled by default, and the permission granted allowed Facebook to access not only the files the user intended to publish but also the rest of the gallery's contents.

### Violation of transparency and traceability principles

The regulator emphasized that Meta violated provisions of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in several ways. Firstly, users did not receive a clear and understandable explanation that a single permission opened access to all photos and videos on the device, rather than just those they intended to upload. Secondly, smartphone owners had no way to verify or track which specific files the Facebook app accessed during any given period. Thus, the principle of transparency in the processing of personal data, enshrined in European law, was breached.

### Regulator requirements and deadlines

Under the GPDP ruling, Meta is required to change the functionality of the Facebook app on Android within 60 days. Specifically, the company must implement a separate consent request that clearly and in plain language explains the purpose of the feature, the scope of access provided, and how to disable it. The “Get suggestions from your gallery” feature must remain inactive by default for all users, including those who had previously granted the app permission to access their photo and video gallery. In addition to the 60-day deadline to change functionality, the GPDP set additional deadlines: 30 days to notify the regulator that work on implementing the orders has begun, and 90 days to provide a report on the measures taken.

### Investigation timeline and aggravating circumstances

The investigation was initiated in July 2025 following a complaint from the Consumer Protection Center in Bolzano. Based on the findings, the GPDP established that the company failed to ensure the acquisition of separate, informed consent for the processing of each type of personal data. The regulator cited “limited cooperation from the company with the investigation” as an aggravating circumstance. It was the combination of factors — the scale of the audience of 20 million people, the duration of the controversial feature since 2023, and the insufficient degree of interaction with the supervisory body — that led to the setting of the fine at 805 million euros.

### Context: European regulation of digital platforms

The decision of the Italian regulator fits into a general trend of tightening control over personal data processing practices by large technology companies within the European Union. The 805 million euro fine is one of the largest in the history of GDPR enforcement and demonstrates the readiness of national supervisory bodies to hold corporations accountable when their apps obtain excessive access to users' personal data by default. For Meta, which has already faced sanctions from European regulators, this decision could set a precedent for similar audits in other EU jurisdictions where the “gallery suggestions” feature was also available to Android users.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Власти Италии оштрафовали Meta на 805 млн евро](https://www.dw.com/ru/italia-ostrafovala-meta-na-805-mln-evro-izza-narusenia-privatnosti-na-smartfonah-android/a-79949217) - Original source: GPDP statement dated 14.11.2026. Fine amount (805m EUR), feature since 2023, 20m users, 60/30/90 day deadlines, investigation start in July 2025, and aggravating circumstances confirmed.
- [В Италии оштрафовали Meta* на €805 млн за доступ к фото пользователей](https://life.ru/p/v-italii-oshtrafovali-meta-na-805-mln-za-dostup-k-foto-polzovateley) - Подтверждает все ключевые факты: 805 млн евро, функция с 2023 года, единое разрешение, включение по умолчанию, 20 млн пользователей, начало проверки летом 2025, обращение из Больцано.
- [Власти Италии взялись за Meta](https://news.ru/europe/vlasti-italii-vzyalis-za-meta) - Подтверждает сумму штрафа 805 млн евро, доступ к фото/видео/метаданным без отдельного согласия, приложение Facebook для Android. Дополнительно упоминает французский налог на трафик как контекст.

## FAQ

### Why was Meta fined 805 million euros?

The Italian regulator GPDP found that the Facebook Android app accessed photos, videos, and metadata in user galleries without separate, informed consent. The 'Get suggestions from your gallery' feature requested a single permission that granted access to the entire device photo archive and was enabled by default.

### How many users were affected by the violation?

According to the GPDP, approximately 20 million Android users in Italy were affected by the violation.

### What must Meta do in response to the regulator's decision?

The company must implement a separate consent request with a clear explanation of the feature's purpose and how to disable access within 60 days. The feature must be inactive by default for all users. Additionally, Meta must notify the regulator of the start of work within 30 days and provide a report on the measures taken within 90 days.

### When did the investigation start?

The investigation began in July 2025 following a complaint from the Consumer Protection Center in Bolzano.

### What is the fine as a share of Meta's turnover?

According to the GPDP, the fine represents approximately 0.47% of Meta’s global turnover.