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Ofcom says X appears to be reviewing suspected illegal hate and terror content faster, but the UK regulator is still concerned about whether the platform is actually removing that material effectively. The finding, published on 14 October 2026 after X submitted its first quarterly report, is not a declaration that X has met its legal duties or achieved a verified removal rate.
What Ofcom found in X’s first quarterly report
After discussions with Ofcom in May 2026, X made two time-limited commitments for reports submitted through its dedicated UK illegal-content reporting tool. It agreed to review reports within an average of 24 hours and to review and assess at least 85% of suspected illegal hate and terror content within 48 hours. Both commitments applied for three months.
| Commitment | What X reported | Ofcom’s qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Average review time | 24 hours | The first quarterly submission appeared to fall within the agreed timeframe. |
| Cases reviewed within deadline | At least 85% within 48 hours | The first submission appeared to meet the timeframe, but Ofcom expects sustained performance. |
Ofcom’s statement was deliberately narrow: review speed “appears” to have improved, while concerns remain about the effectiveness of X’s response to taking down illegal hate and terror content. Reviewing a report quickly is not the same as correctly deciding that content is illegal, removing it, restricting its reach, or acting against accounts that repeatedly breach the rules.
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Why faster review has not settled the issue
The published update covers only X’s first quarterly submission. Ofcom has not published an independently verified removal-rate figure, so the data cannot support a claim that a particular percentage of illegal posts was successfully removed. The regulator said it will scrutinise X’s underlying data and cross-check the reported performance against its own tests.
That distinction matters for users and complainants. A platform can acknowledge reports within a deadline yet leave unlawful material online, apply an incorrect policy decision, or provide an ineffective appeal and complaints route. Ofcom’s wording indicates that its concern is about those outcomes, not only the time taken to open a case.
What the Online Safety Act requires
The Online Safety Act 2023 gives Ofcom responsibility for preparing illegal-content codes of practice and enforcing providers’ duties. A UK government explanatory memorandum published on 17 December 2024 says those codes cover terrorism content, child sexual exploitation and abuse content, and other illegal content, and set out measures services can use to meet their obligations.
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Ofcom’s policy guidance describes the controls it expects services to operate, including:
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- risk assessments that identify likely illegal-content harms and measures to mitigate them;
- moderation systems capable of taking down illegal terrorist, violence-inciting and hateful content swiftly;
- adequately resourced and trained moderation teams;
- easy-to-find reporting and complaints channels; and
- removal of accounts reasonably inferred to be operated by proscribed terrorist organisations.
These are system-level duties. They require a service to design, staff and test processes that work at scale, rather than relying solely on individual users to report posts.
Where Ofcom’s investigation stands
Ofcom used formal information-gathering powers to examine X’s illegal-content risk assessment, the ease of reporting, and moderation decisions. The October update says the investigation will determine whether X complied with its duties under the Act.
If Ofcom finds reasonable grounds for non-compliance, it would issue a provisional view and give X an opportunity to respond before reaching a final decision. The October statement is therefore an interim regulatory finding, not a final enforcement ruling or a penalty announcement.
What happened with pornography access controls
The same update says X changed its access controls so pornography labels are consistently restricted for accounts whose users have not completed age assurance. Ofcom continues to monitor those age checks, but the remaining investigation is focused on illegal-content and complaints/reporting duties.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThis is a separate compliance area from illegal hate-content removal. The change shows that X has made a specific control adjustment, but it does not resolve Ofcom’s concerns about how effectively illegal hate and terror content is identified and taken down.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known—and not known—about X’s effectiveness
- Known: Ofcom saw indications of faster review times in X’s first quarterly report.
- Known: X’s reported figures appeared to fall within the 24-hour average and 85%-within-48-hours commitments.
- Not established: an independently verified percentage of illegal content removed.
- Still being tested: whether X’s metrics match Ofcom’s own tests and whether performance continues beyond the three-month commitment period.
Until that validation and further submissions are available, it would be inaccurate to describe X as having solved its illegal hate-content moderation problem or to assign it a broad success rate.
What users should do when reporting suspected illegal content
Users in the UK should use X’s dedicated illegal-content reporting tool when they encounter suspected illegal hate or terror material, provide the post or account details requested, and retain any case reference or response. If the platform’s handling appears inadequate, the reporting and complaints information supplied by X is the relevant first route; Ofcom’s investigation concerns the systems X must provide, rather than acting as a replacement for an individual report.
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