Australia is preparing legislation that would give social media users the option to disable algorithms that curate the content displayed on their feeds.
Gatekeepers News reports that Anika Wells, Australia’s communications minister, said on Monday that the proposed digital duty-of-care laws would introduce basic safety protections for users of social media platforms.
Under the proposed legislation, technology companies including Meta, Google and TikTok could face “substantial” penalties if they fail to give users the option to turn off algorithm-driven content recommendations.
“We want to give Australians more choice over what they see on their social media feeds. We know that a lot of Australians appreciate the algorithm both for the enjoyment they get out of it or the utility that they get out of it, seeing local businesses in their suburb,” Wells said.
“A lot of Australians will want to choose the algorithm. But we think that big tech should offer them the choice in the first place, and they should respect that choice.”
Wells said the proposed measures were not intended to censor social media but to make technology companies take greater responsibility for risks associated with their platforms.
“This isn’t about censorship. This is about identifying risks or making big tech identify the risks on their own platform and making big tech mitigate against those risks on their platform,” she said.
Platforms to face greater responsibility for harmful content
The draft legislation, expected to be introduced in the coming days, would also increase the responsibility of social media companies to prevent harmful material from being distributed on their platforms.
The measures are expected to cover illegal pornography and content promoting disordered eating, among other harmful material.
However, the proposal has drawn criticism from Australia’s opposition.
Angus Taylor, leader of the Liberal Party, said he was “highly sceptical” of the plan, arguing that it could effectively give the government greater control over social media content.
Taylor also called on the government to address gaps in existing restrictions designed to prevent children from accessing social media.
Wells rejected concerns that the measures amounted to censorship, arguing that major technology companies should be subject to basic safety obligations.
“Big tech is not a protected species, and they should offer their customers basic safety standards,” she said.
Australia’s under-16 social media ban
The proposed legislation comes amid growing concerns about the impact of social media algorithms on young people and the spread of harmful content online.
In December 2025, Australia began implementing a nationwide ban preventing children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms.
The restrictions cover Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Reddit, as well as streaming platforms including Kick and Twitch.
Under the law, social media companies are responsible for taking steps to prevent under-16s from accessing their services.
However, services such as YouTube Kids and Google Classroom, as well as messaging applications including WhatsApp, remain available to children.
Wells said no technology company had so far been fined for failing to enforce the under-16 restrictions, despite research suggesting that most under-16 users who were already using the platforms before the ban have continued to access them.
