Ofcom has opened a probe into Meta over possible breaches of the Online Safety Act related to Instagram Instants, focusing on whether Meta conducted adequate risk assessments before launching the feature.

Instants, launched in May, allows users to capture and share an instant image with close friends that disappears after it is viewed.

Meta says it will cooperate with Ofcom during the investigation.

Regulators could require Meta to implement product changes, tighter controls, or increase compliance spending, affecting future feature rollouts and operating costs.

Ofcom officials, including enforcement director George Lusty, have stressed that significant platform changes must have risk assessments beforehand and safety-by-design built into the product.

The case could signal to other platforms that launches themselves may trigger Online Safety Act scrutiny and necessitate pre-launch risk work.

Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must assess risks and implement safety measures, with potential fines up to £18 million or 10% of worldwide revenue for non-compliance.

The investigation could shape broader regulatory expectations and push other platforms to document pre-launch risk assessments for new features.

If Meta’s safeguards are found sufficient, financial impact could be mitigated, but regulatory escalation remains a central risk to rollout costs and engagement on Instagram.

The act requires ongoing risk assessments to address illegal content and to protect children from harmful material including porn, self-harm, abuse, hate, and bullying.

Meta has contested Ofcom information requests and is also involved in legal challenges with Ofcom over the Online Safety Act, signaling ongoing regulatory friction.

Instagram remains a key engagement and advertising platform for Meta, particularly among younger users, making regulatory outcomes potentially impactful beyond fines alone.