Australia: Government seeks to allow disabling of social media algorithms

The Australian government is preparing a bill aimed at giving social media users the option to refuse algorithmic recommendations. The text, included in the upcoming “Digital Duty of Care,” is set to be presented this week in Canberra.

According to the project details reported by ABC, the platforms should offer users a choice between an algorithmically personalized feed and a feed focused on the accounts they follow. Regular reminders could be used to allow users to change their preference.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese presented the reform as a user-driven measure rather than state control. The government aims to require digital services to take reasonable steps to create a safer online environment and reduce exposure to harmful content.

Communications Minister Anika Wells indicated that the technical arrangements were still being finalized. The stated objective is to place greater responsibility on the major platforms, which should identify and mitigate the risks associated with their products and recommendation systems.

This regulatory offensive follows the ban on social networks for those under 16, which came into effect on December 10, 2025. Anthony Albanese states that more than five million accounts belonging to minors have since been deleted, deactivated, or restricted.

The reform is already sparking a debate over its level of constraint. The opposition has requested to review the text before making a decision, and some of its leaders fear a risk of censorship, while the Greens advocate for a stricter approach in which algorithmic recommendations would be disabled by default and activated only at the user’s request.