CANBERRA — In a move aimed at restoring personal control over online experiences, the Australian government unveiled a draft Digital Duty of Care bill that would require social‑media platforms to offer users a simple opt‑out from algorithmic feeds. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters on Tuesday that the measure is designed to give people over the age of 16 “genuine and enduring choice” about what appears in their timelines.
How the opt‑out would work
Under the proposal, every new and existing user would receive a notification inviting them to choose between a personalized, algorithm‑driven feed and a chronological feed that only shows content from accounts they follow. Those who prefer the traditional approach could see posts from friends, family and creators they have explicitly chosen, without the platform’s recommendation engine influencing what appears.
Protecting children online
The legislation also expands existing safeguards for minors. It would require platforms to block or filter content that encourages eating disorders, hostile ideas about women, pornography, criminal activity, dangerous stunts, and material that could cause serious mental‑health distress. Digital services such as online games, mobile apps and AI chatbots would be subject to the same standards, with a focus on eliminating addictive design features that undermine self‑esteem.
Enforcement and penalties
Albanese warned that non‑compliant companies could face fines of up to 109.2 million Australian dollars (about $78.6 million USD). “If they don’t follow our laws, they will face significant penalties,” he said, emphasizing that the government intends to hold big‑tech firms accountable for inaction.
Background and next steps
The proposal follows Australia’s December 2025 world‑first law that bans children under 16 from holding accounts on major platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Earlier this year, the nation’s online‑safety watchdog signaled possible court action against Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube for failing to keep younger users off their services.
The draft bill will now be debated in Parliament, with industry groups expected to lobby on the specifics of implementation. If passed, Australia would become one of the few countries giving users a statutory right to disable algorithmic curation, a step that aligns with broader global discussions about digital sovereignty and parental‑rights protection.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
