Meta, TikTok and X have lost a High Court challenge against Britain’s communications regulator over demands for detailed information about how their platforms moderate harmful content and protect users online. The ruling, delivered on Friday 30 October 2026, upholds Ofcom’s use of information-gathering powers under the Online Safety Act 2023, rejecting arguments that the requests imposed disproportionate burdens. The judgment concerns the legality of information requests, not whether the companies breached their wider online safety duties.
Ofcom demands detailed information
The dispute followed information notices issued in February seeking figures about posts removed or restricted and the numbers of users exposed to potentially harmful content. Ofcom said the information was needed to assess online risks, understand platform practices and evaluate the UK online safety regime.
Companies challenge the burden
Meta, TikTok and X argued the demands were unusually extensive and disproportionate. X raised the significant cost of responding, while Meta challenged the breadth of data sought across its services. Ofcom maintained that the requests were necessary for the responsibilities Parliament had given it.
High Court rejects challenge
The High Court rejected the companies’ challenge and upheld Ofcom’s authority to seek the information for its statutory purposes. The ruling does not give the regulator unlimited powers: information requests must still comply with the law. Nor does it establish any substantive breach of online safety duties by the platforms.
Regulator welcomes decision
Ofcom welcomed the judgment, saying information from companies is essential to effective oversight. Under the Online Safety Act, serious established breaches can lead to fines of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater. No such fine was imposed as a result of this ruling.
Separate legal disputes continue
Meta remains involved in other disputes concerning aspects of the online safety regime, including regulatory fees and WhatsApp categorisation. Ofcom also opened a separate investigation in October concerning Meta’s risk assessment duties relating to an Instagram feature; the investigation does not establish wrongdoing. A Competition and Markets Authority investigation announced on 30 October into Meta’s proposed terms for publishers and AI is a distinct competition-law matter.
What happens next?
The challenged information notices have been upheld, subject to any further legal steps the companies may pursue. Ofcom can continue seeking evidence to assess compliance. Any future finding of an online safety breach or enforcement penalty would require a separate regulatory process.