Meta, TikTok and X Take Ofcom to Court Over Online-Safety Demands

Britain’s attempt to make social media platforms more accountable is facing an important legal test as Meta, TikTok and X challenge information demands issued by communications regulator Ofcom.

Under the Online Safety Act 2023, Ofcom can require regulated platforms to provide information needed to assess whether they are complying with their legal obligations. The regulator requested detailed data on content moderation, including how much harmful content was removed or restricted and how many users were exposed to it.

The platforms, however, argue that Ofcom has gone too far. Meta says some requests are excessively broad, while TikTok argues that the regulator has exceeded the scope of its statutory information-gathering powers. X has described the demands as exceptionally burdensome.

The dispute therefore goes beyond data collection. It raises a fundamental administrative-law question: how far can a regulator go when exercising powers granted by Parliament?

Ofcom maintains that the information is necessary and proportionate to determine whether the new safety regime is actually working.

The court’s decision could help define the boundaries of regulatory power under one of the UK’s most consequential digital laws.