Key Points
- The UK regulator Ofcom has launched an investigation into Meta.
- The probe is over the information Meta provided about its WhatsApp Business service.
- Ofcom is concerned that the information “may not have been complete and accurate.”
- The investigation concerns a review of the business bulk SMS message market.
The British media regulator Ofcom has launched an investigation into Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, over concerns that the company may have provided “incomplete and inaccurate” information during a recent market review.
The investigation stems from a review that Ofcom conducted last year into the market for business bulk SMS messages. These are the kinds of automated messages companies use for appointment reminders, delivery notifications, and two-factor authentication codes.
As part of that review, Ofcom requested information from Meta about its WhatsApp Business service. Now, the regulator says the information it received “may not have been complete and accurate.”
“The available evidence suggests that the information we received in response from Meta may not have been complete and accurate,” Ofcom said in a statement.
Meta, for its part, said it takes its regulatory obligations seriously and will cooperate with the investigation. “We dedicate significant resources to responding to information requests,” a company spokesperson said.
This is the latest in a series of regulatory headaches for Meta in the UK. The company has faced scrutiny over a range of issues, from data privacy to the spread of misinformation. This new investigation into its business messaging services adds another layer of pressure on the social media giant.
