{
  "id": 6389379,
  "title": "Proposed Australian law would let social media users opt out of algorithms",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/proposed-australian-law-would-let-social-media-users-opt-out-of",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-09T06:00:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Economic Times Tech",
    "slug": "economic-times-tech",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/proposed-australian-law-would-let-social-media-users-opt-out-of-algorithms/articleshow/133955473.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Australian government announced proposed laws on Tuesday to give social media users more control over their feeds, allowing them to opt out of algorithms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the legislation aims to provide users aged 16 and older with genuine and enduring choices about what they see in their feeds. The proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation would also protect children from harmful content, including eating disorder promotion, hostile views about women, pornography, crime, dangerous stunts, and serious mental health distress.\n\nThe move comes after Australia introduced world-first laws in December last year banning children under 16 from using major social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Albanese emphasized that the new laws will give users choice and hold big tech companies accountable for inaction, with penalties of up to 109.2 million Australian dollars ($78.6 million) if they fail to comply. Social media platforms would need to provide notifications to new and existing users, offering them a choice between personalized content from an algorithm or content from friends and creators they follow.\n\nDigital services, including online games, apps, and AI chatbots, would also be required to safeguard children from design features that negatively impact behavior, such as addictive elements and those affecting self-esteem. In April, Australia's online safety watchdog mentioned considering legal action against Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube for allegedly failing to protect Australian children under 16 on their platforms.",
  "summary": "The proposed legislation would also protect children from content that promotes eating disorders, hostile ideas about women, pornography, crime, dangerous stunts and that causes serious mental health distress.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}