Australia is set to introduce new draft legislation this week that would give social media users the option to switch off algorithms that dictate the content they see. Communications Minister Anika Wells stated that these digital duty of care laws aim to establish basic safety protections for an industry that has largely operated without them. Companies like Meta, Google, and TikTok that fail to offer this opt-out could face substantial penalties, including fines exceeding $100 million for breaches.
The proposed laws would also place the onus on social media companies to actively identify and mitigate risks on their platforms, as well as to prevent the sharing of harmful content. For users under 18, the legislation would specifically address about half a dozen additional areas of "psycho-social harm," such as content related to body image and bullying. The e-Safety Commissioner and independent researchers would be authorized to monitor platform compliance, potentially using "sock puppets" to observe content fed to children online.
While the government asserts that the goal is to provide users with choice rather than to ban algorithms, some opposition figures, such as Liberal Party leader Angus Taylor, have expressed skepticism, warning against potential censorship. Experts note that existing options to opt-out of algorithms are often difficult to find or temporary, making the implementation of these new laws crucial. The success of the legislation will largely depend on whether the alternative feed presented to users is a reverse chronological feed of accounts they follow, which some believe would be more beneficial than a non-personalized algorithmic feed.
