Meta, TikTok, X challenge UK regulator Ofcom in court over data demands
Social media companies Meta, TikTok, and X are engaged in a legal battle with UK regulator Ofcom regarding the scope of data requests made under the Online Safety Act. Ofcom has also initiated a probe into Meta's Instagram Instants feature.
Major social media platforms Meta, TikTok, and X are challenging data access demands made by UK regulator Ofcom in the High Court. The disputes center on information requests issued under the Online Safety Act 2023, a law designed to protect users, particularly children, from illegal and harmful online content. The court hearing is scheduled to conclude on October 7.
Ofcom issued legally binding information notices in February, seeking details on content moderation and user exposure to harmful material. The companies argue these requests are overly burdensome. X described the demands as "the most burdensome information request" it has received from any regulator. Meta questioned the necessity of the data requested across seven of its services, while TikTok suggested Ofcom bypassed existing safeguards.
Separately, Ofcom has launched an investigation into Meta concerning its Instagram Instants feature, which allows users to share disappearing content. The probe will examine whether Meta adequately assessed the risks associated with the feature before its May launch, as required by the Online Safety Act. This move underscores the regulator's scrutiny of new platform functionalities.
The Online Safety Act empowers Ofcom with significant enforcement tools, including potential fines of up to £18 million or 10% of a company's global revenue. The tech companies have previously contested other Ofcom decisions, including the classification of WhatsApp and Instagram under the Act's strictest duties. Meanwhile, Ofcom has previously fined smaller online entities for non-compliance with data requests.