Britain’s communications regulator Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into Meta over the safety assessments conducted before the launch of Instagram Instants, a feature that allows users to share temporary photos and videos through Instagram.
The investigation was announced on October 6, 2026, and focuses on whether Meta complied with its obligations under the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act before introducing the feature in May. Ofcom said it is examining whether Meta carried out suitable and sufficient risk assessments covering illegal content and potential risks to children.
Ofcom’s investigation does not mean that Meta has already been found to have broken the law. The regulator said its purpose is to gather and assess evidence and determine whether the company complied with its legal responsibilities.
Instagram Instants was launched by Meta on May 13, 2026. According to Meta, the feature allows users to take photos or videos directly through the Instants camera and share them with Close Friends or mutual followers. The shared content disappears after it has been viewed and cannot be viewed after 24 hours.
Meta also introduced Instants as a feature designed for quick, temporary sharing. The company said users cannot upload existing photos from their phone gallery through the Instants camera, and users can add captions before sharing the content. The feature can be accessed through Instagram Direct and, in selected countries, through a separate Instants application.
The temporary nature of the feature has drawn regulatory attention because online safety regulators are required to consider how changes to digital platforms could affect users, particularly children and young people.
Under the UK Online Safety Act, regulated online services must conduct appropriate risk assessments relating to illegal content. Platforms that are likely to be accessed by children must also assess risks involving certain harmful content affecting under-18 users. The legislation also requires providers to carry out further assessments before making significant changes to the design or operation of their services.
Ofcom said its investigation will determine whether Meta carried out the required additional assessments in connection with the launch of Instants.
George Lusty, Ofcom’s Director of Enforcement, said online safety requirements mean that significant changes to platforms should be assessed before they are introduced. He stressed the importance of safety being incorporated into the design of online services rather than being addressed only after a product has been launched.
The regulator has the authority to investigate potential compliance failures under the Online Safety Act. If an investigation ultimately establishes that a company has breached its obligations, Ofcom can require steps to address the problem. It can also impose financial penalties of up to £18 million or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater.
However, such a penalty would only become relevant if Ofcom eventually establishes a legal breach through its enforcement process. The current investigation is still at the evidence-gathering stage.
Meta has rejected any suggestion that it ignored safety considerations before launching Instants. The company said it takes its regulatory obligations under the Online Safety Act seriously and conducted a risk analysis before the feature was introduced.
Meta also said it briefed Ofcom about Instants on several occasions before the launch. The company pointed to safety and privacy protections built into the feature as evidence of its approach to user protection.
According to Meta, Instants includes protections that prevent users from taking screenshots or recording shared content. The company also said the feature restricts reshares and forwarding and does not operate as a public feed.
Meta said Instagram’s existing safety controls also apply to Instants. These include tools such as blocking, muting, restricting accounts, content filters and reporting mechanisms.
Additional safeguards apply to teenagers. Meta said Instants is automatically integrated with Instagram’s Teen Account protections and Family Center. Teen users are subject to shared time limits, while Sleep Mode restricts access and notifications during specified nighttime hours. Existing safety tools are also available to teen users.
The company has said it will cooperate with Ofcom during the investigation.
The latest investigation comes as technology companies face increasing regulatory pressure in the United Kingdom over online safety, particularly regarding children’s exposure to harmful or illegal material. Regulators are increasingly focusing on whether safety measures are incorporated into new features before they become available to users.
The outcome of the Ofcom investigation could therefore have broader implications for how major social media companies introduce new features in the UK. If Ofcom determines that Meta failed to complete the required assessments, the regulator could take enforcement action and require the company to make changes.
For now, however, there is no final finding against Meta. Ofcom has specifically stated that opening an investigation does not mean it has concluded that the company breached its duties.
The investigation will proceed through evidence gathering and analysis. If Ofcom believes a compliance failure has occurred, Meta will have an opportunity to respond to the regulator’s findings before any final decision is made.
The case highlights the growing importance of safety assessments when social media platforms introduce new products and features. For users, particularly teenagers, the central issue is whether safety protections are considered from the beginning of product development.
Meta maintains that it took these considerations into account before launching Instagram Instants. Ofcom will now assess whether those measures and the company’s risk assessments met the requirements of UK law.
