Australia is preparing world-first rules that would allow social media users to switch off personalised algorithms and choose feeds based on accounts they follow.
Australia is preparing legislation that could give its 21 million social media users the right to opt out of personalised algorithms used by major technology platforms.
The proposed “digital duty of care” rules, expected to be introduced to parliament this week, would require platforms including Meta’s Facebook and Instagram and X to give users the option to turn off systems that tailor recommendations to their interests.
If introduced, Australia would become the first country to give social media users such a choice.
Under the draft rules, users could opt out through pop-up messages and choose feeds containing posts only from accounts they follow.
Platforms would also be required to identify and manage risks associated with their services.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the measures would aim to reduce the spread of illegal material and limit exposure to harmful content, including material linked to eating disorders.
The rules would also introduce additional protections for children, with the government identifying several areas of potential “psycho-social harm”, including body image concerns and bullying.
Companies that breach the proposed requirements could face fines of about A$100 million ($72 million).
The legislation is separate from proposed changes to Australia’s Online Safety Act, which seek to strengthen the country’s existing ban on social media use by under-16s.
The government’s plans have already attracted criticism from the opposition, with leader Angus Taylor warning they could become a form of censorship.
Taylor said: “I am deeply sceptical. I fear that this is going to be an attempt by the government to censor social media, but as I say, we haven’t seen it.”
He said the priority should instead be giving parents greater control over what children see online.
There are also questions over how the new rules would be enforced.
Research has suggested that Australia’s existing under-16 social media restrictions have not stopped a majority of children from accessing their accounts.
Tama Leaver, professor of internet studies at Curtin University, said transparency would be crucial to making the proposed duty of care effective.
He said: “What matters most with the digital duty of care is ensuring social media platforms are forced to be transparent about their compliance.”
The proposals could mark a significant shift in how social media platforms operate, moving away from the assumption that personalised algorithmic feeds should be the default.
The government has yet to reveal exactly how platforms would implement the opt-out system, but the legislation could establish a new international benchmark for regulating recommendation algorithms.
Australia plans to let social media users opt out of Big Tech algorithms
