Instagram Instants probed by Ofcom over safety checks

Why Ofcom is investigating Instagram Instants

Ofcom's investigation into Instagram Instants centres on the Snapchat-style feature that lets users send photos which disappear after viewing.

The watchdog wants to know whether Meta ran adequate checks on illegal content and child access before launching it, as the Online Safety Act requires.

Meta is valued at $1.9tn (£1.4tn), and penalties under the act range from a warning letter to a fine worth a tenth of the firm's worldwide earnings.

The case follows wider regulatory pressure on platforms used by teenagers, including new ChatGPT rules for young people in the UK.

The Molly Rose Foundation's response

George Lusty, Ofcom's director of enforcement, compared the risk checks to testing a new car.

"You wouldn't launch a new car without testing it properly, and it's the same for online services," he said.

"Safety by design must be built in, not bolted on, and today's investigation shows we'll take action where we have concerns that providers are failing to comply."

Meta said it had already carried out a risk analysis and spoken to Ofcom several times before launch.

A spokesperson said the feature blocks forwarding and mirrors the protections in Instagram's default teen account settings, adding: "We will of course cooperate with Ofcom's investigation into Instagram Instants."

The Molly Rose Foundation campaigns for online safety.

It was founded in memory of Molly Russell, a teenager who died by suicide after viewing harmful material on Instagram.

The charity said it was crucial Meta was "held to account for their failures" under the act.

What is Instagram Instants and what happens if the Online Safety Act was breached?

Instagram Instants lets users send photos that disappear once viewed, in a similar way to Snapchat's core feature.

Ofcom can issue a formal warning or fine Meta up to 10% of its global revenue. Which action it takes depends on what the investigation finds.