Italy’s communications regulator Agcom has ordered Meta to pay more than €9 million to GEDI, the publisher of La Repubblica and La Stampa, for the use of its news content on Facebook during 2022. The ruling, announced on 10 July, is the first in Italy to compel a major tech platform to compensate a traditional media group for journalism shared online.
The decision follows the failure of direct negotiations between Meta and GEDI. The payout, between €9 million and €10 million, is well below GEDI’s original €30 million claim, which included content use on Instagram, but far higher than Meta’s reported offer of under €40,000.
Agcom’s ruling is based on regulations introduced last year under Italy’s copyright law, which allow publishers to claim payment from platforms using their content when commercial talks fail. The authority’s formula for calculating payment took into account Meta’s advertising revenues linked to GEDI content, adjusted for indirect revenue generated by traffic to GEDI sites. It also weighted factors such as online views, publisher relevance, employment of journalists, technology investment and editorial standards.
The ruling was not unanimous. Agcom commissioner Elisa Giomi criticised the methodology as “inadequately structured” and warned it risked further disputes. The outcome may also face further legal tests. On the same day as the ruling, an Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union said EU member states are entitled to introduce laws that strengthen publishers’ negotiating power with platforms, provided freedom of contract is preserved. However, the Court’s final judgment is still pending, and a regional court in Lazio has requested clarification on how Italian law should be applied.
The case adds to Meta’s mounting regulatory challenges in Italy. The country’s competition authority recently fined the company €3.5 million for lack of transparency in Instagram’s sign-up process, and Agcom has separately fined Meta €5.85 million for breaching Italy’s long-standing ban on gambling advertising, which applies across all media including social networks.
Meta also faces a potential €870 million VAT claim after Italian tax authorities referred a dispute to the European Commission over whether the exchange of personal data for Facebook and Instagram access constitutes a taxable transaction.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The ruling by Italy’s Communications Authority (Agcom) on July 10, 2025, requiring Meta to compensate GEDI for the use of journalistic content, is recent and has not been widely reported elsewhere. The earliest known publication date of similar content is July 10, 2025. The narrative appears original and not recycled. The report is based on Agcom’s official decision, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The article includes updated data and does not recycle older material. No similar content has appeared more than 7 days earlier. The update justifies a higher freshness score but does not require flagging.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Agcom’s official statement and from Advocate General Maciej Szpunar’s opinion. These quotes are unique to this report and have not been found in earlier material. No identical quotes appear in earlier sources, indicating potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from a reputable source, Agcom, which is the official regulatory authority in Italy. The report is based on Agcom’s official decision and includes direct quotes from Agcom’s statement and Advocate General Maciej Szpunar’s opinion. This adds credibility to the report. However, the source is not a widely known media outlet, which slightly reduces the reliability score.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims made in the narrative are plausible and consistent with recent developments in Italy’s media and regulatory landscape. The ruling by Agcom aligns with previous decisions, such as the fine imposed on Microsoft for similar content remuneration. The language and tone are consistent with official communications from Agcom. No inconsistencies or suspicious elements were found.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is recent, original, and based on official sources, with no discrepancies or suspicious elements found. The source, Agcom, is a reputable authority, and the claims made are plausible and consistent with recent developments. Therefore, the overall assessment is a PASS with high confidence.
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