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Australians Could Opt Out of Social Media Algorithms Under New Law
- On Monday, Communications Minister Anika Wells announced draft legislation requiring social media platforms to offer Australians an opt-out for powerful algorithms, with fines of up to $100m for non-compliance.
- The proposed 'digital duty of care' aims to mitigate online harm, building on a December 2025 law that banned social media for users under 16 to protect children from bullying and predatory algorithms.
- Platforms would need to issue regular pop-ups asking users to switch to chronological feeds; experts warn this could impact ad inventory, though Apple's tracking prompt saw an opt-out rate of about 27% in Australia.
- Wells stressed the legislation prioritizes user choice, stating, "We should give Australians more choice over what they should see on their feeds," while denying claims the government is attempting to censor the internet.
- Opposition leader Angus Taylor expressed skepticism about the government's motives, telling News24 on Monday he fears the legislation could become "an attempt by the government to censor social media.
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The Australian government is preparing to propose new legislation to regulate digital platforms, allowing users to opt out of algorithms that curate content on social media.
Australian government prepares to legislate to force digital platforms to offer the option to deactivate recommendation algorithms Australian government wants
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources29
Leaning Left3Leaning Right8Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Center, 42% Right
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources are Center, 42% of the sources lean Right
42% Right
L 16%
C 42%
R 42%
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