Meta, TikTok and X are challenging the UK communications regulator Ofcom over the volume and scope of information it has requested under the country’s new online safety framework.
The legal challenge is among the first disputes linked to the Online Safety Act 2023, which introduced stricter requirements for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X to protect children from harmful and illegal online content. Ofcom has been gradually implementing the rules, with serious breaches potentially attracting fines of up to 10% of a company’s global turnover.
In February, Ofcom issued information notices seeking detailed content moderation data from the technology companies. The requests included figures on posts removed or restricted in visibility, as well as the number of users exposed to harmful content.
However, the companies argue that the requests impose unprecedented regulatory burdens. In a witness statement, X described the request as “the most burdensome information request X has received from any regulator in any jurisdiction”.
Meta argued in court filings that Ofcom was seeking “wide-ranging and granular information” across 7 of its services without a clearly defined regulatory purpose.
TikTok also alleged that the regulator had bypassed an alternative monitoring framework that already included specific safeguards.
Ofcom maintains that the requested information is necessary to assess whether the new online safety regime is effective. The regulator said it had also narrowed the scope of the information requirements before implementation.
“Parliament has charged us with the job of regulating an industry that has been unregulated and unaccountable for more than 20 years,” an Ofcom spokesperson said.
The current hearing is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday. A separate legal challenge brought by Meta concerning the calculation of regulatory fees and penalties is expected to be heard next week.
The dispute highlights growing tensions between technology companies and regulators as governments seek greater accountability from online platforms while companies raise concerns about the scale of compliance requirements.
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