Meta, TikTok & X Lose UK Court Battle Over User Data
Staff Reporter
02 November 2026, 11:16
Meta, TikTok, and X have lost a legal challenge against the UK communications regulator Ofcom over its power to request information from social media platforms under the Online Safety Act.London's High Court dismissed the companies' challenge, ruling that Ofcom's information requests were neither disproportionate nor excessive.
The requests, issued in February, sought detailed information about how the platforms moderate harmful content, including:
- How many posts were removed or had their visibility restricted.
- How many users were exposed to harmful content.
- Details of the platforms' content moderation practices.
The three companies had challenged the requests, arguing that collecting the information could place a significant regulatory and financial burden on them. X reportedly described the request as the most expensive information demand it had received from a regulator. Meta expressed disappointment with the ruling, while TikTok said it was reviewing the decision. X did not immediately comment.
Ofcom welcomed the judgment, saying access to information from platforms is essential to carrying out its regulatory responsibilities under the UK's Online Safety Act. The ruling concerns Ofcom's authority to request information. It does not itself establish that the companies violated the law.
