Italy Slaps Meta With $880 Million Fine Over Photo Access

Italian regulators have imposed a hefty fine of $880 million on Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The penalty stems from allegations that Meta accessed users' photos without their explicit consent. The Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante) stated that Meta violated privacy regulations by utilizing photos for targeted advertising purposes without users' knowledge or permission. Meta has responded by strongly disagreeing with the regulator's assessment and the level of the fine, claiming it to be disproportionate.