Three major social media companies, Meta, TikTok and X, have suffered a legal setback after London's High Court rejected their challenge against Britain's online safety regulator, Ofcom.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, October 30, 2026, allows the regulator to proceed with its demands for detailed information about how the platforms handle harmful content and enforce their content moderation policies.
The legal dispute arose after Ofcom issued formal information requests to the companies in February, requiring them to provide detailed data about their online safety operations.
Among the information requested were statistics showing how many posts had been removed or had their visibility restricted, as well as the number of users exposed to harmful content on their platforms.
However, Meta, TikTok and X challenged the requests, arguing that the demands placed an excessive regulatory burden on their businesses and were disproportionate.
X reportedly warned that complying with the requests could cost millions of pounds, while TikTok and Meta also raised concerns about the amount of information they were expected to collect and submit.
Despite their objections, the High Court ruled in favour of Ofcom, rejecting the companies' arguments and allowing the information notices to stand.
The decision represents an important development in Britain's efforts to enforce its Online Safety Act, introduced in 2023 to strengthen protections against harmful and illegal online content, particularly content that could affect children.
Under the legislation, Ofcom has powers to impose substantial financial penalties on companies that commit serious breaches of their regulatory obligations. These fines can reach up to 10% of a company's qualifying worldwide revenue.
Reacting to the judgment, Ofcom welcomed the decision, maintaining that access to information from technology companies is essential to determining whether they are meeting their online safety responsibilities.
TikTok said it was considering the court's judgment, while Meta expressed disappointment with the outcome. X had not immediately issued a public response.
The ruling comes as Meta faces other regulatory disputes in Britain, including a separate legal challenge concerning how Ofcom calculates regulatory fees and potential financial penalties.
The latest judgment marks a significant moment in the implementation of Britain's Online Safety Act, as regulators seek greater accountability from some of the world's largest social media platforms.