Ofcom opens probe into Meta’s Instagram Instants launch
The case tests how strictly UK safety checks apply before Meta adds new features to Instagram.
Ofcom has opened an investigation into whether Meta broke the UK Online Safety Act when it launched Instagram’s Instants feature without carrying out the required risk assessments first. The probe will look at whether Meta failed to complete suitable assessments for illegal content and for children before the May rollout of the disappearing-photo tool. Meta said it had done a risk analysis and informed Ofcom about the feature before launch, and that it will cooperate with the investigation. The move raises the stakes for platforms that add new social features, because Ofcom says major changes must be assessed before release and it is already facing parallel legal challenges from Meta, TikTok and X over how it enforces the law.
Why it matters
The probe shows that launch timing now depends not just on product readiness but on proving the required safety checks were done first. If Ofcom’s reading holds, platforms that roll out new social features may face more scrutiny before release, while Meta is already defending its position in parallel court challenges with TikTok and X.
Keep or strike?
Does this story matter, or is it hype? Mark it before you see what everyone else did.
Sources
- BBC Technology