Australians could turn off social media algorithms under draft laws introduced this week. Communications Minister Anika Wells, who oversaw the government’s world-first social media ban for under-16s last year, said the digital duty of care regulations will impose “some basic safety protections on an industry that hasn’t had to observe it”.
If digital companies like Meta, Google, and TikTok do not provide the choice to disable algorithms, they should face “substantial” sanctions, she added. Some opposition members have attacked the proposal, with Liberal Party leader Angus Taylor calling it “highly skeptical” and claiming it may amount to censorship.
According to Wells, the government will seek “expert advice” on whether consumers should be required to opt in or out of algorithms that feed them internet content. Similar to the social media ban, the administration intends to enact legislation before determining its implementation details. We want to give Australians more choice over what they see on their social media feeds,” Wells told ABC on Monday. We know that many Australians value the algorithm for both the delight and the utility it provides, such as displaying local companies in their suburb.
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