The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) announced on Wednesday that it has imposed a fine of €3.5million on Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd. and its parent company Meta Platforms Inc.
The fine is for engaging in unfair commercial practices related to the creation and management of Facebook and Instagram social network accounts.
According to AGCM, during the registration process for Instagram, users were not provided with clear information about the collection and use of their data for commercial purposes. Additionally, when Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended, there was a lack of useful communication for users to file complaints.
In response to the fine, a spokesperson from Meta stated, “We disagree with the decision taken by AGCM and are currently evaluating our possible actions. Since August 2023, we have already implemented changes for Italian users to address the concerns raised by AGCM.
“We have made it even more transparent how we use data to display personalised ads on Instagram and have provided users with additional information and options to appeal if their account is suspended.”
