Former Meta engineer probed over 30,000 private Facebook photos

image via TNW | The heart of techThe Next Web

April 8, 2026, 10:02 AM

• •Former Meta engineer arrested in London for allegedly extracting 30,000 private Facebook photos.
• •The breach bypassed Meta's internal security systems.
• •The investigation involves the Metropolitan Police's Cybercrime Unit and a referral from the FBI.
• •Meta has faced significant financial penalties and legal pressure over privacy and safety issues.
• •The case illustrates the difficulty of managing insider threats in tech platforms.

A former Meta engineer in London is under criminal investigation for allegedly creating a program to extract approximately 30,000 private Facebook photos, bypassing the platform's security. This incident adds to Meta's history of privacy and security failures, including GDPR fines and a social media safety case. The investigation, led by the Metropolitan Police, highlights the challenges of insider threats for large tech platforms. Meta has notified affected users and updated its security, while the investigation continues to determine the program's operational duration and potential charges.

Read original article