Ofcom says it did not fine Meta £450,000, and the figure traces back to 4chan

The claim that circulated on social media platforms was quickly clarified by Ofcom, which emphasized that the £450,000 figure was never applied to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Instead, the penalty was part of a £520,000 enforcement action against 4chan, the anonymous message board, with the majority specifically addressing child protection failures.

This £520,000 fine represents the largest publicly detailed penalty issued by Ofcom to date. The regulator has accumulated over £7 million in fines against 11 providers since October 2025. For a company of Meta's scale, a £450,000 penalty would be minimal compared to potential maximum fines under the Online Safety Act, which can reach 10% of global revenue.

Meta's High Court Challenge

Despite the fine mix-up, Meta remains in a significant legal battle with Ofcom. The company has launched a High Court challenge against the regulator's methodology for calculating fees and penalties under the Online Safety Act 2023. The core dispute centers on Ofcom's use of global revenue rather than UK-specific earnings to determine these financial obligations.

Meta contends that approach is disproportionate and possibly unlawful.

The challenge specifically targets how multi-service companies like Meta are assessed, with the company arguing that using global revenue creates an unfair financial burden. A High Court hearing took place on October 13-14, 2026, with a judgment expected in late October 2026.

Instagram Instants Under Scrutiny

Separately, Ofcom has opened investigations into Meta regarding the launch of Instagram Instants, a new feature introduced in May 2026. The regulator will examine whether Meta properly conducted risk assessments before rolling out the feature, as required by the Online Safety Act.

The outcome of the High Court case carries significant implications for international firms operating in the UK. A ruling in favor of Ofcom could substantially increase liabilities for global platforms, while a decision supporting Meta's position might reshape the financial framework for online safety regulations in the country.