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Australia to force social media platforms to allow users to opt out of algorithms
Confirmed
In Short: Australia is preparing new legislation that would give users over 16 the option to opt out of algorithmic content recommendations, aiming to reduce online harms.
Australia is preparing new legislation that would give users over 16 the option to opt out of algorithmic content recommendations, aiming to reduce online harms. The move, which follows similar actions in New Zealand, is part of a broader effort to address the impact of social media algorithms on user experiences and safety.
Labor's push for the legislation comes as concerns grow over the influence of social media algorithms on user behavior. Small gripes and big demands by travelers in remote areas are taking the shine off bush hospitality in Western Australia, with overblown social media travel posts blamed for inflating or misdirecting tourists' expectations.
The proposal would require social media companies to give Australian users greater control over how content is selected and displayed. According to reports, the draft legislation would also mandate platforms to document the steps they take to address risks and reduce harm. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells have announced the draft legislation, which would force platforms such as Meta and TikTok to allow users to opt out of algorithmic recommendations and use a more traditional following-based feed instead.
Contos said, 'but there is no guarantee Australians will benefit from the safety measures it has agreed to.
Background
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It has a land area of 7,688,287 km2 (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world, and is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Young people in the Kimberley are continuing to share criminal exploits on social media, as WA's hardline "post-and-boast" laws stall in parliament.
- Labor wants to make social media platforms proactively reduce foreseeable harms while giving users control over whether algorithms shape their feeds.
- Consent advocate Chanel Contos wants Australians to be able to opt out of algorithm-driven content.
- Meta's landmark court settlement is being hailed by some as social media's "big tobacco moment", but there is no guarantee Australians will benefit from the safety measures it has agreed to.
- Meta has agreed to a wide-ranging deal settling all claims in US federal and state courts, which alleged the company's platforms harmed children.
- A new study finds that violent attitudes towards women are not just a social issue but a matter of national security.
- The proposal marks New Zealand as the latest country to mull such a law since Australia enacted its world-first under-16s social media ban in December 2025.
- The early social media phenomenon around Aziz Shavershian may seem like a precursor to some of the uglier corners of the internet, but the late bodybuilder's brother says they preach a different message.