High Court ruling

London's High Court has dismissed a legal challenge by Meta, TikTok and X to information notices issued by Ofcom. Lord Justice Singh and Mrs Justice Collins Rice refused to quash the notices, rejecting the companies' argument that the requests were disproportionate.

What Ofcom asked for

In February 2026 Ofcom issued notices under the Online Safety Act 2023 seeking detailed content-moderation metrics, including how many posts were removed or had their visibility restricted and how many users were exposed to harmful content. The companies argued the burden was unprecedented, with X saying it was the most burdensome request it had received from any regulator and would cost millions.

What remains undecided

The ruling is a boost for Ofcom, which can fine up to 10 per cent of global turnover for the most serious breaches, but it does not settle everything. Meta's separate case on how Ofcom calculates fees and fines is still awaited, as is its challenge over WhatsApp's categorisation. Meta said it was disappointed by the judgment, while TikTok said it was considering it.

Sources: Reuters via KTWB | Sky News via Vibe 107.6