Toxic algorithms wouldn't let them go - now Australia wants an off switch
The Australian government hopes to protect social media users from being served content they don't want to see.
Varsha Yajman, a 24-year-old recovering from anorexia, recounts her experience growing up with social media. As a 13-year-old, she was bombarded with endless workout videos and calorie challenges, leading her to develop a self-conscious attitude about her appearance. Despite having safety settings turned on and a list of banned words, Varsha claims that weight loss content still finds its way onto her social media feed even after turning off recommended content.
The Australian government aims to protect users like Varsha with a new set of laws, including a proposed algorithm switch that would allow users to turn off recommended content. This feature would force social media platforms to only display posts from accounts the user follows. The legislation also seeks to impose a legal duty of care on online services, with the goal of improving the mental well-being of Australians.
However, critics argue that the government's efforts may be too ambitious and could potentially infringe upon free speech.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Technology's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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