Meta, TikTok, X Ask London Court to Block Ofcom's Data Demands

Meta, TikTok and X asked a London court on October 5 to strike down Ofcom's February information notices, in a major test of the regulator's information-gathering powers under the UK Online Safety Act, Reuters reports.

The notices sought granular content-moderation metrics: how many posts the platforms removed, how many had visibility restricted, and how many users were exposed to harmful content. Meta told the court Ofcom had asked for "wide-ranging and granular information" about seven of its services without a clearly defined regulatory purpose. A witness statement filed by X described the demand as "the most burdensome information request X has received from any regulator in any jurisdiction." TikTok argued separately that Ofcom bypassed an alternative monitoring system that includes specific protective measures.

Ofcom's position is that the data is "genuinely needed" to evaluate whether the new regime is working, and that it already narrowed the scope before the notices went out.

The hearing concludes Wednesday. A separate Meta challenge over how Ofcom calculates Online Safety Act fees and penalties is scheduled for next week; The Register first reported that case in May. Our tracker has logged 290 regulation stories over the last 90 days, and this one sits at the center of the UK's enforcement machinery.