Social media users in Australia are moving closer to controlling their feeds. Here’s how

Australian authorities are proposing new laws that would empower social media users to opt out of algorithms and have more control over their feeds, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday. Under the proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation, individuals aged 16 and above would be given the choice to decide what they see in their feeds.

The legislation aims to protect users, particularly children, from harmful content such as eating disorders, hostile views about women, pornography, crime, and dangerous stunts that can cause serious mental health distress. To ensure children's safety, the proposed laws also ban children under 16 from creating accounts on major social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

If social media platforms fail to comply with the new laws, they could face significant penalties of up to 109.2 million Australian dollars ($78.6 million). Under the proposed legislation, new and existing users would receive a notification offering them a choice over their default feed. Users could either opt-in to see personalized content recommended by an algorithm or choose to view content from friends and creators they follow.

In addition to social media platforms, online games, apps, and AI chatbots would also be required to protect children from design features that have negative behavioral impacts, such as addictive elements and those that affect self-esteem. In April, Australia's online safety watchdog said it was considering legal action against Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube for allegedly not doing enough to prevent children under 16 from accessing their platforms.