The UK communications regulator has opened an inquiry into Meta’s handling of safety checks for Instagram Instants, a new feature that mimics Snapchat’s functionality. Ofcom is examining whether the company completed the required risk assessment under the Online Safety Act before rolling out the product. The investigation focuses on whether Meta failed to properly evaluate the likelihood that the feature could expose minors to illegal material or allow under‑age users to access it. Meta, which has a market value of roughly $1.9 tn, has not yet commented on the matter. The watchdog’s move underscores growing scrutiny of how large tech firms implement safety obligations in newly launched services.