- Ofcom fined Meta £450,000 (US$597,000) for giving inaccurate information about WhatsApp Business during a 2025 review of the bulk business SMS market.
- Some records were uncorrected for as long as 11 months.
- Ofcom found that Meta broke five rules under the UK Communications Act during two investigations, showing that the regulator is ready to fine big tech companies for giving it wrong information.
UK communications regulator Ofcom fined Meta £450,000 ($597,000) on Thursday for repeatedly providing incorrect information about WhatsApp Business during a market review. The fine comes as Meta is already involved in another dispute with the regulator.
The fine comes after Ofcom looked into business text messaging services in 2025. Companies use these services to send customers messages like verification codes and alerts.
Ofcom wanted to learn more about the messaging options businesses could use. It asked Meta how many messages were sent through WhatsApp for Business and how much money the service made, according to the South China Morning Post.
However, Meta gave wrong information several times during the review, the South China Morning Post reported.
Five breaches across two inquiries
Meta took up to 11 months to correct some of the mistakes. Ofcom found that the company had broken five requirements under the UK Communications Act by giving wrong or incomplete information during two investigations.
Ofcom also cut the original fine by 25% to £450,000. This was because Meta admitted it had broken the rules and did not benefit from the mistakes, according to the South China Morning Post.
Meta claimed it takes following the rules seriously and worked fully with Ofcom during the investigation.
Not Meta’s only dispute with Ofcom
This is not Meta’s first recent dispute with Ofcom. In October, Meta, TikTok and X lost a court case over how much information Ofcom could ask them to share under the UK’s online safety rules, according to The News International.
The £450,000 fine amount is small compared with Meta’s revenue, but it sends a clear message. Ofcom is ready to fine big tech companies not only for how they treat users, but also for giving the regulator wrong information.
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Opeyemi Olanrewaju
Opeyemi specializes in creating and refining high-quality content focused on cryptocurrency, global financial markets and the economy. He graduated from the University of Ibadan with an MBBS degree. He has worked as Editor-in-Chief for his College’s editorial publication and previously at CFA. For over six years, he has helped safeguard uniqueness as news editor at Cryptopolitan.
