In brief
In a move to strengthen digital duty‑of‑care, Australia will propose legislation that allows citizens to opt for non‑algorithmic feeds on social‑media platforms. Communications Minister Anika Wells said the law would impose hefty penalties on firms who refuse to offer this choice. While supporters rally for consumer control, opponents warn it could amount to censorship. The bill follows the country’s ban on under‑16 users and aims to curb harmful content online.
Australia’s next Fair Work bill will let people opt‑out of algorithm‑driven feeds on social‑media platforms. The measure, proposed by Communications Minister Anika Wells, is part of a wider digital duty‑of‑care framework that also targets under‑16 users.
“Users should be able to decide what they see on their feeds,” Wells told the ABC. She said tech giants such as Meta, Google and TikTok would face penalties if they did not provide a switch‑off option. “The choice is not a luxury – it’s a basic safety standard,” she added.
Opposition leaders, particularly Liberal Party figure Angus Taylor, have warned that a mandate could be a step toward censorship, arguing that algorithm control should be left to users’ discretion. The government insists the bill’s purpose is to “identify risks” and ensure platforms take responsibility for the material they surface.
The draft law will also require platforms to block illegal content such as child‑pornography and disordered‑eating videos. It will be introduced later this week, leaving open the question of whether opt‑in or opt‑out will prevail.
The proposal arrives shortly after Australia’s 2025 ban on social‑media for users under 16, a regulation that has proved challenging for big‑tech firms to enforce. Critics now call for a more robust system that includes user choice and stricter enforcement of the ban.
