Australia Proposes Opt-Out Choice for Social Media Algorithms

The Albanese government’s draft “Digital Duty of Care” would require major platforms—including TikTok, Instagram and Facebook—to give users over 16 an option to turn off algorithm-driven feeds. Opt-out users would see only content from accounts they follow; those who stay on the default would continue to receive personalized recommendations. The package also extends duties to online games, apps and AI chatbots, mandating safeguards against pornography, eating-disorder promotion, misogynistic material, glorification of crime or dangerous stunts, and content that causes serious mental-health distress. Non-compliance could trigger fines of up to A$109.2 million (?US$78.6 million).

NPR

Australia introduced world-first rules in December 2025 that barred children under 16 from holding accounts on the largest social-media services. Within a month, more than 5 million accounts were deactivated or removed, though the ban has not fully stopped teens from accessing platforms. The new “my feed, my way” measures are presented as a follow-up to ensure the age-restriction regime works and to give all users greater control over the content they encounter online.

New York Times

• Penalties: Up to A$109.2 million for platforms that fail to provide the opt-out notice or breach child-safety provisions.

Nine.com.au

• Account impact: Over 5 million social-media accounts were deactivated or removed after the December 2025 age-ban.

New York Times

• Legislative timeline: The draft bill is slated for introduction to parliament before the Christmas break, with a public inquiry and negotiations expected thereafter.

Nine.com.au

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese framed the measures as a means of returning agency to Australians, emphasizing that the government is not seeking to control content but to empower users. Communications Minister Anika Wells highlighted the need to stop “real-time, unregulated product testing” on Australians and said the eSafety Commissioner will have authority to issue removal notices and monitor compliance.

The Guardian

Opposition parties and some industry groups have raised concerns about effectiveness and potential overreach. Liberal frontbencher Jacinta Nampijinpa Price called the initiative politically motivated censorship. Nationals leader Matt Canavan warned the Labor government cannot be trusted with “censorship powers.” Greens spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young said the opt-out provision is insufficient and that penalties should be tied to a percentage of global revenue. The industry lobby DIGI, representing Meta, Snapchat and Google, defended algorithms as tools that help users discover diverse content while supporting “meaningful choice and control.”

The Saturday Paper

• “We'll require social media platforms to provide user empowerment tools that give people over the age of 16 genuine and enduring choice about what they see in their feeds,” — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

NPR

• “You will have a choice about whether you want the algorithm or whether you want the following feed,” — Anika Wells, communications minister

Nine.com.au

The draft “Digital Duty of Care” bill will be tabled in parliament later this year, with the Labor government counting on Greens support to pass the legislation. Albanese is expected to raise the proposal at the United Nations General Assembly in New York later this month, signalling Australia’s intent to set a global precedent for algorithmic transparency and user choice. Opposition parties have indicated they will seek amendments, particularly around disclosure of algorithmic signals and parental-control safeguards, before the bill proceeds to a final vote.

The Guardian