British telecoms regulator Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into Meta Platforms over concerns that the company provided incomplete or inaccurate information relating to WhatsApp Business during a regulatory market review.

The investigation centres on Meta's responses to two statutory notices issued under section 135 of the Communications Act 2003, served on 31 July 2024 and 19 June 2025. Those notices required Meta to provide data on how WhatsApp Business operates within the application-to-person messaging market, which companies use to send customers appointment reminders, parcel delivery notifications, and authentication codes.

Ofcom said available evidence suggests the information Meta submitted may not have met legal requirements for completeness and accuracy. The watchdog published details of the case on its enforcement register on Friday.

"The information gathered through statutory information requests is a key part of Ofcom's work and informs how it carries out its statutory functions as a regulator," Ofcom said. "It is therefore crucial that stakeholders provide accurate and complete information in a timely fashion."

The notices were issued as part of Ofcom's monitoring of the retail business messaging market and its subsequent wholesale application-to-person SMS termination market review. Meta was required to provide the data because WhatsApp Business operates as an alternative to traditional SMS channels in this sector.

Under section 138 of the Communications Act, Ofcom can pursue enforcement action when it has reasonable grounds to believe a company has failed to comply with section 135 requirements. The regulator has not disclosed which specific details in Meta's submissions are under scrutiny.

A Meta spokesperson said the company took its regulatory obligations seriously and devoted "significant resources" to responding to information requests in a timely and accurate manner. "We will cooperate with Ofcom in its investigation," the spokesperson said.

The probe adds to mounting regulatory pressure on Meta in Britain and across Europe. The company faces separate scrutiny over child protection measures, age verification controls, and its handling of illegal gambling advertisements on Instagram and Facebook.

Ofcom said it would publish further updates on its enforcement page as the investigation progresses.

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