Many people would admit that they’re addicted to social media, and recent research shows that the more time we spend on our phones, the more depressed and anxious we become. Last year, Australia banned social media for under-16s in a bid to curb the issue. Now, the government is introducing a new draft for a Digital Duty of Care legislation. If passed, the bill would give Australians the right to switch off social media algorithms.
Algorithms track our behavior online and recommend other content we might be interested in. Tech giants like Meta and TikTok use algorithms to keep us on their apps for longer, which is why it can sometimes feel impossible to stop scrolling. Plus, because algorithmic echo chambers align with our existing biases, we become trapped in divisive informational loops.
“We want to give Australians more choice over what they see on their social media feeds,” said Communications Minister Anika Wells. “We know that a lot of Australians appreciate the algorithm both for the enjoyment they get out of it or the utility that they get out of it […] A lot of Australians will want to choose the algorithm. But we think that big tech should offer them the choice in the first place and they should respect that choice.”
Under the new law, users who opt out of the algorithm will only see content from individuals and groups they have actively chosen to follow. The bill also puts pressure on platforms to stop showing harmful content, including pornography, violence, misogynistic content, and content that promotes or accelerates eating disorders. Noncompliant platforms will face fines of more than AU$100 million.
Wells believes companies like Meta have operated without proper regulation for too long. “There is a global reckoning coming for big tech,” she said. “And it started here in Australia, with the introduction of our world-leading social media minimum age laws.”
The consent-focused legislation is expected to be formally introduced to the Australian parliament before the end of 2026, but is likely to face lengthy negotiations before it’s implemented.
Learn more about the proposed Digital Duty of Care law in the video below.
Australia is proposing a new Digital Duty of Care law that would give Australians the right to switch off social media algorithms.
Sources: Digital Duty of Care to let Australians switch off their algorithm | ABC NEWS; Australians will be able to switch off social media algorithms under planned legislation; ‘Global reckoning for big tech’: Australia to force social media platforms to allow users to opt out of algorithms
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