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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Meta, TikTok and X are challenging the scope and burden of information requests from UK regulator Ofcom under the Online Safety Act 2023. The notices reportedly seek detailed moderation and user-exposure figures; the companies say the requests raise different concerns about purpose, safeguards and workload. Ofcom says it needs the data to assess whether the new regime is working.
What information did Ofcom request?
Reuters reported that Ofcom issued the information notices in February 2026. They sought detailed content-moderation metrics, including counts of posts removed or visibility-restricted and counts of users exposed to harmful content. The notices relate to the regulator’s information-gathering powers under the UK Online Safety Act 2023. (Reuters, 5 October 2026)
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The available reporting does not set out the notices’ full data fields, deadlines or complete legal grounds for the challenges. It therefore does not establish precisely how much work compliance would require for each company.
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What are the companies challenging?
| Company | Reported objection |
|---|---|
| Meta | In court filings, Meta described the requests as “wide-ranging and granular information” concerning seven services, and argued that Ofcom had not identified a clearly defined regulatory purpose. (Reuters, 5 October 2026) |
| TikTok | TikTok argued that Ofcom had bypassed an alternative monitoring regime that it says has specific safeguards. The available reporting does not detail those safeguards or TikTok’s full legal argument. (Reuters, 5 October 2026) |
| X | A witness statement submitted by X characterized the request as “the most burdensome information request X has received from any regulator in any jurisdiction”. Reuters did not identify the witness. (Reuters, 5 October 2026) |
These are the companies’ reported positions, not findings by a court. They also should not be collapsed into a single claim: Meta focuses on scope and purpose, TikTok on the route and safeguards for monitoring, and X on the operational burden.
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Why does Ofcom say it needs the data?
Ofcom’s reported position is that the information will help it evaluate whether the new online-safety regime is working. It also says it narrowed the information required before the notices were implemented. An Ofcom spokesperson told Reuters: “Parliament has charged us with the job of regulating an industry that has been unregulated and unaccountable for more than 20 years.” (Reuters, 5 October 2026)
Ofcom’s regulatory documents index includes guidance on its online-safety information-gathering powers and enforcement. The information available here does not include the notices themselves or Ofcom’s complete court response, so the full competing legal arguments cannot be assessed from the reported statements alone.
What could the dispute mean?
At its core, the case concerns how far Ofcom can go when using information notices to oversee platforms under the Act, and what justification and process should accompany requests of this kind. The companies’ objections put the practical scope, purpose, safeguards and burden of those requests in dispute. Ofcom’s stated case is that it needs information to judge the regime’s effectiveness.
Reuters reported that the regime’s maximum fine for the most serious breaches can reach 10% of a company’s global turnover. That is a reported general ceiling, not a statement that these companies have been found in breach or face a fine in this information-request case. (Reuters, 5 October 2026)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Has the court ruled?
Reuters reported that the High Court hearing was due to conclude on 7 October 2026. The reporting available for this article does not state that the court delivered a ruling; a scheduled hearing date should not be treated as a judgment. Ofcom’s judgments index is a primary source for published court decisions.
This case is separate from Meta’s challenge concerning Ofcom fees and penalties. An official order dated 22 May 2026 records permission for judicial review in that matter on 6 March 2026 and lists its merits hearing for 13–14 October 2026. Those dates concern a different proceeding, not the three-platform challenge to the information notices. (High Court order, 22 May 2026)
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