Meta, TikTok, and X Challenge Ofcom (read more here) Over Online Safety Data
According to Reuters, Meta, TikTok, and X are taking Ofcom to court over its data demands under the UK's Online Safety Act. This challenge, reported as one of the first under the 2023 law, centers around Ofcom's request for detailed content moderation figures and user exposure data.
Ofcom claims it needs these data points to assess the effectiveness of the new regulatory framework designed to protect children from harmful and illegal content. The Online Safety Act imposes significant fines, up to 10% of a company's global turnover, for serious breaches.
In response, the tech companies argue that Ofcom's notices create an unprecedented regulatory burden. X described the request as:
"The most burdensome information request X has received from any regulator in any jurisdiction."
Meta and TikTok also raised concerns about the scope and purpose of the request, with TikTok claiming Ofcom bypassed an existing monitoring regime with its own safeguards.
Ofcom maintains that it requires the data to fulfill its duties, stating:
"Parliament has charged us with the job of regulating an industry that has been unregulated and unaccountable for more than 20 years."
The court hearing concluded on Wednesday, with a separate challenge from Meta regarding Online Safety Act billing set to be heard next week.
Additional investigations under the Online Safety Act are already in progress, including one into TikTok's child safety measures and another into Telegram.