What might turning off the algorithm look like? Chinese social media provides some hints
If the government’s digital duty of care bill passes, users would be able to switch off algorithms. But this might not be as good as it seems.
The Albanese government has proposed digital duty of care legislation that includes a "turn off" switch for social media users. This would allow Australians to opt out of recommender algorithms and view a news feed populated by accounts they have subscribed to. Following the model of WeChat in China, a platform that has operated with algorithm-free feeds for over a decade, this proposal has been welcomed by online safety advocates.
However, the experience of WeChat offers a glimpse into both the potential benefits and drawbacks of such a system.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
