Italy fines Meta €3.5m for consumer data breaches

Italy’s competition regulator has fined Meta €3.5m for unfair commercial practices at its platform Instagram. The Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) said users were not given clear information about how their data would be collected and used for commercial purposes when signing up.

The fine, levied against Meta Platforms Ireland and parent company Meta Platforms, covers two unfair commercial practices breaching three articles of the Consumer Code.

It also said Meta did not manage the suspension of Facebook and Instagram user accounts, in particular by failing to inform users about decisions to suspend accounts or how to contest suspensions.

The regulator confirmed that Meta ceased the practices in question during the course of its proceedings.