Meta faces a GBP 450,000 fine from Britain's Ofcom after repeatedly submitting inaccurate WhatsApp Business data during a telecoms market review. The regulator announced the penalty on Thursday, November 12, 2026, after investigating data Meta supplied on messaging volumes and revenue.
Ofcom requested the figures in 2025 while examining the UK market for bulk business SMS services. Meta's responses contained repeated inaccuracies, and some errors remained unresolved for up to 11 months before corrected figures arrived.
The review aimed to help Ofcom understand services available to businesses, including alternatives to conventional text messaging. WhatsApp Business gives companies a channel for customer updates, appointment reminders, delivery notifications, and other routine communications.
Ofcom concluded that Meta breached five separate information requirements under the Communications Act across two requests. The regulator opened its investigation in January 2026 after questioning whether Meta's submissions provided complete and accurate information.
The regulator initially set the penalty at GBP 600,000, then reduced it by 25% to GBP 450,000. Ofcom considered Meta's acceptance of liability, settlement agreement, and lack of financial benefit from the inaccurate information.
Meta said it takes its regulatory obligations 'seriously' and had 'cooperated fully' with Ofcom's investigation. The case focuses on regulatory reporting, not claims that WhatsApp Business mishandled customer messages directly. Accurate figures help Ofcom assess competition across business messaging, where apps compete with traditional bulk SMS providers.
The fine also arrives amid growing scrutiny of technology platforms' obligations to UK regulators across Britain. In October, Meta, TikTok, and X lost a separate High Court challenge over Ofcom's online safety data requests. That ruling upheld Ofcom's authority to seek detailed platform information under Britain's Online Safety Act.
Together, these developments underline Ofcom's continued focus on obtaining reliable data from major digital platforms. The latest penalty signals that repeated errors in formal information requests can trigger enforcement, even without financial gain.
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