Australians could get the power to switch off social media algorithms

Labor proposes social media algorithm choice under new digital duty of care In short: The federal government's proposed digital duty of care would let Australians opt in or out of algorithmically recommended social media content. The draft laws will require online platforms to reduce foreseeable harms or face fines of more than $100 million. What's next? Labor will consult on the proposal, with the Greens and Coalition pledging to work through the details before finalising a position. Every Australian will be able to choose whether they want their social media content served up by algorithms or not under a federal government proposal to "empower" people online. Labor will seek support for an opt-in/opt-out system where platforms like TikTok, Instagram or Facebook would be required to send account holders a push notification asking them to decide if they receive recommended content. The social media algorithm controls come under broader "Digital Duty of Care" draft laws that shift responsibility onto big tech to proactively reduce foreseeable harms or face fines of more than $100 million. For children, the proposed duty covers issues like bullying, pornography, misogyny and eating disorders, while for adults the focus is on criminality, violence and threats. The draft laws released for consultation on Tuesday require platforms to give Australians the choice between algorithmically recommended posts and videos, or a feed showing only accounts they follow. Communications Minister Anika Wells said people would be able to choose "over and over" if they repeatedly changed their mind. "The reality is that lots of people will want to choose the algorithm," she said. "That's their choice. We respect that choice." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the new "My Feed, My Way" initiative was "not about government control" over social media content. "It's about giving people control," he said. "It's about putting choice back into the hands of Australians online." Platforms must prevent harms for children and adults The Digital Duty of Care also sets out expectations for all online platforms, including social media, AI chatbots and search engines, to proactively protect Australians from harmful content. For Australians aged under 18, platforms must take steps to prevent content that promotes eating disorders, misogynistic content, pornography, glorification of crime, bullying and abuse, and any other material that could inflict "serious harm" on children. In relation to adults, the harms are confined to existing crimes including child abuse, sexual violence, menacing or harassment intended to cause serious harm, support for terrorist organisations or encouraging suicide. "We have an opportunity to shape technology for the better, rather than let it shape us," Mr Albanese said. The law would also require social media platforms to switch off features like personalised algorithms and endless scrolling for any users aged under 16. This would act as an extra safeguard alongside the social media ban already in place for this age group. Labor rejects censorship concerns The Coalition has not yet taken a position on the draft laws, but Nationals leader Matt Canavan has voiced concerns about duty being used to censor content online. "I'm deeply sceptical of giving any government the power to decide what you read on your phone," he said. Mr Canavan accused the government of picking the algorithm fight to "distract from its failings" and questioned whether the proposal was "a good faith effort to deal with toxic material online". But Ms Wells said she could "emphatically rule … out" that the legislation would ever allow a government or an agency to police misinformation on the internet. "This is about the systems and the tools and the features that cause harm, and mostly, serious harm for children," she said. "When it comes to adults, it's just a question of illegality and choice." Asked about the discretionary powers in the bill that would allow any communications minister to add to the list of harms, Ms Wells said the same mechanism existed elsewhere in the Online Safety Act. Ms Wells gave the example of concerns about AI agent Grok being used to "nudify" pictures of people, as the type of novel harm a future minister might choose to address. "It is on the Coalition if they're going to disagree with that once they've read the exposure draft to see, is their preference that we recall parliament every time there a new Grok," she said. Ms Wells said any rule changes could be "disallowed" in the Senate if people took objection to the ministerial decision. Parents applaud effort to keep children safe The prime minister and Ms Wells were joined on Tuesday by parents and advocates who have called for greater online protections, particularly for young people. Father Wayne Holdsworth, who lost his son Mac to suicide in 2023, said he "wholeheartedly" supported the duty of care. "We don't want to look back and see this era as an era when we can quantify the atrocities caused by social media," he said. "We want to look back on this era as a time when Australia led the world to improve the opportunities for our kids and to keep them safe." Butterfly Foundation chief executive Jim Hungerford also backed the draft laws, saying his organisation heard every day from Australians whose feeds were filled with "idealised, unrealistic and weight-focused content". "We know that they are one of the key drivers of the development of an eating disorder," he said. Lambie says government must 'leash' big tech Independent Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie on Tuesday said the government must "put a leash around" big tech and legislate an opt-in scheme for social media algorithms. "I've had a gutful of big tech," she said. "They have had way too much freedom … and it's time to stop." The Greens have called for a tougher approach, while acknowledging Labor's proposal was a step forward. "We'll be kicking the tyres extremely hard on this draft legislation and negotiating as good as we can with the government to fix it," Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said. The draft laws have been welcomed by Teach Us Consent, the advocacy group founded by Chanel Contos, who last year launched the "Fix Our Feeds" campaign calling for an algorithm opt-in system. "Australia is world-leading on online safety, and we were the first in the world to begin regulating the online sphere," Ms Contos said. "Getting this reform right would let that momentum continue and set a global standard."