Politics · United Kingdom · 12 hrs ago
Meta, TikTok and X lose challenge to Ofcom data demands
Meta, TikTok and X lost a High Court challenge against Britain’s communications regulator, Ofcom, on October 30.
The case concerned Ofcom’s demands for data on content moderation under the Online Safety Act 2023.
The law gives Ofcom powers to regulate online safety in the UK, with a focus on protecting children from harmful and illegal content.
The companies argued that collecting the detailed information would be an excessive burden, but the judges rejected their challenge.
The platforms must provide data on user activity and harmful content, including how content and accounts are moderated and what children may see.
The information also covers moderation appeals and reports from UK users.
The ruling strengthens Ofcom’s ability to enforce the new law, which allows fines of up to 10% of a company’s global turnover for the most serious breaches.
Meta is pursuing separate legal challenges over Ofcom’s fees and WhatsApp’s classification under the regime.
Meta, TikTok and X lost their High Court challenge to Ofcom’s information requests under the Online Safety Act.
The platforms must provide data on user activity and how they moderate harmful content, including material seen by children.
The court rejected their arguments that the requests were disproportionate or irrational.
Ofcom said gathering information from companies is fundamental to its work.
The ruling is an early test of Ofcom’s powers under Britain’s online safety regime.
- Who
- Meta, TikTok and X challenged information requests from Ofcom, the UK communications regulator.
- What
- The High Court rejected the platforms’ legal challenge. They must provide data on user activity and content moderation.
- When
- The ruling was issued on October 30, 2026.
- Where
- The case was heard in London’s High Court.
- Why
- The platforms argued the requests were unlawful and overly burdensome. Ofcom sought the data to carry out its online safety role under the Online Safety Act.
Meta, TikTok and X
Ofcom
Scope and proportionality
Meta, TikTok and X
The platforms argued the data requests were unlawful, disproportionate and exceptionally burdensome.
Ofcom
Ofcom said the requests were important to its work under the Online Safety Act.
Cost and burden
Meta, TikTok and X
The companies said collecting the requested data could cost millions of pounds and require extensive work.
Ofcom
The court found the companies had not sufficiently explained why the notices would be onerous.
Ofcom issued information notices to Meta, TikTok and X requesting detailed content moderation metrics.
Meta became the subject of Ofcom’s first formal investigation under the Online Safety Act.
The companies’ legal challenge was heard in court.
The High Court ruled in Ofcom’s favour and refused to quash the notices.
- Platforms
- Meta, TikTok and X
- Regulator
- Ofcom
- Law
- Online Safety Act 2023
- Notices issued
- February
- Maximum fine stated
- Up to 10% of a company’s global turnover for the most serious breaches
- Data period cited by TikTok
- Three years
3 sources
What people are saying
gathering information from companies is fundamental to our ability to do our job
We’re disappointed with the court’s decision, but we and others across industry pursued this challenge because information-gathering of this scale goes beyond what is necessary or proportionate.
We accept Ofcom’s evidence as to the importance of the objective it pursued
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