Meta challenges UK safety regulator

Meta has launched a legal appeal against Ofcom's decision to place WhatsApp and Instagram in a category requiring additional duties under the Online Safety Act.

What the extra duties demand

The additional responsibilities include greater transparency, more user controls, measures to protect users from fraudulent advertising and increased recording of illegal content.

Meta's earlier challenge on fees

Meta launched a legal challenge in London in May, claiming that Ofcom's methodology for calculating charges was flawed and should not be based on a company's global revenue.

Fines can reach ten percent

Breaches of the Online Safety Act can be punished by fines of up to ten percent of qualifying worldwide revenue or eighteen million pounds, whichever is higher.

Other companies also suing

TikTok and X are taking legal action over how much information they must provide Ofcom. Oliver Griffiths, Ofcom's group director for online safety, told peers the regulator faces a highly litigious environment.

“We absolutely are looking to drive change in the best way we can. We have all come to work to make this happen, but, if we run unnecessary risks, we are going to get absolutely clobbered legally by deep-pocketed individuals and firms.”

Meta defends its legal action

Meta said it is challenging how Ofcom has interpreted the law, not the law itself, to ensure it is applied proportionately, accurately and consistently across the industry.

“Like many others in the industry, including TikTok, Roblox, X and Quora, we are challenging specific aspects of implementation.”