April 7, 2026
From Like to yikes
Ex-Meta worker investigated for downloading 30k private Facebook photos
‘Perverted spyware?’ Outrage as ex‑Meta worker probed for 30k private pics
TLDR: Police are probing an ex‑Meta engineer over 30,000 allegedly stolen private Facebook photos; Meta says it fired him and upgraded security. Commenters are seething, trading alleged spy stories and old‑Zuck digs, calling Facebook “perverted spyware,” and questioning whether the company can be trusted at all.
The internet is fuming after a former Meta engineer in London was accused of quietly nabbing about 30,000 private Facebook photos. Police say he was arrested in November 2025 on suspicion of unauthorised access and is out on bail, while Meta told the BBC it fired him fast, notified affected users, and beefed up security. There’s even a referral from the FBI to London’s cybercrime unit—serious stuff—but the comment sections? Absolute wildfire.
The loudest voices say this isn’t a “one bad apple” moment—it’s a culture problem. One commenter claims they heard Facebook staff brag about tracking who viewed whose profile and “who had a crush”—calling the whole thing “perverted spyware.” Another user drops a throwback jab—“What did Zuck call people who trusted him?”—reminding everyone of those infamous early‑days messages. And the rage isn’t just about one alleged download spree: people are citing Meta’s recent fines for data leaks and password blunders, plus that California jury verdict about “addictive” app design. The mood: mistrust maxed.
Not everyone is writing essays—some go short and sharp: “What a creep.” Others roast the timeline, saying an exploit like this would’ve been embarrassing in 2007 and is “despicable” today. Meta insists it’s cleaned house and tightened the locks. The crowd’s response? “Cool story—prove it.”
Key Points
- •A former Meta engineer in London is suspected of downloading about 30,000 private Facebook photos by bypassing security checks.
- •Meta says it discovered the breach over a year ago, fired the suspected employee, notified affected users, and upgraded its security systems.
- •A man in his 30s was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in November 2025 on suspicion of unauthorised computer access and later released on bail; he must report in May.
- •The Metropolitan Police Cybercrime Unit is leading the investigation after a referral from the FBI in the United States.
- •The article notes prior Meta data protection issues, including DPC fines in 2022 (€265m) and 2024 (€91m), and a recent California jury verdict against Meta and Google over addictive platform design, which both plan to appeal.