Australia targets algorithmic social feeds as it looks to hit Big Tech harder
Australia targets algorithmic social feeds as it looks to hit Big Tech harder. Australia plans to give social media users the option to switch off algorithm-based feeds in proposed legislation, serving as the latest blow to tech giants.
What happened
Skip NavigationMarketsBusinessInvestingTechPolitics & PolicyVideoWatchlistInvesting ClubPROLivestreamMenuKey PointsAustralia plans to force social media firms to enforce an "opt-out" feature for algorithm-based feeds. Grichka Beysson-leandri | Afp | Getty ImagesAustralia plans to give social media users the ability to switch off algorithm-based feeds in proposed legislation, making the latest move by governments and regulators to rein in Big Tech this year. Photograph: Peter Cripps/AlamyAnalysisSocial media users could opt out of the algorithm if Australian government has its way – but that’s a big if Josh Taylor Even if the legislation passes, tech companies may still find ways to frustrate its intent and keep Australians hooked on their feedSocial media could become a “choose your own adventure” between the doom-scrolling status quo, or just the feed of the friends you want to see, if the government’s planned digital duty of care legislation passes, and the tech companies don’t muck around on compliance.
S. states led by California, which alleged that the tech giant misled users about the harms its platforms Instagram and Facebook posed to younger users. watch nowVIDEO2:5702:57Meta to transform social media for teens after reaching trial settlementSquawk Box EuropeAs part of the settlement, Meta agreed it would make changes to its platforms in a matter of months for users under the age of 18, including being able to choose a non-algorithmic feed. Skip to main contentSkip to navigation After the teen social media ban, the Australian government is going further in trying to reduce harm from social media by allowing users to opt-out of the algorithmic feed.
For years people have complained about the random videos or posts cluttering their social media feeds as served to them by the tech giants. It's the latest blow to big tech after Meta just settled for $18 billion in a social media harms trial.
The wider picture
Last year, Australia became the first country in the world to introduce a social media ban for teens under the age of 16. A Meta trial loss could end the social media we knowUK declares under-16 social media ban to protect children, but experts warn of enforcement challengesThe Tech Download: Teen social media bans miss a key part of the puzzle: AI chatbotsMeta’s $18 billion settlement puts TikTok and YouTube on notice. Guardian Australia was first reporting these issues back in 2024, conducting experiments with blank phones set up to be young men, with very little other information to go on and to see what the algorithms pushed into our feeds.
It will launch its “Algo Confessions” series in Australia this week, in which celebrities and influencers run through their “For You” feeds, and why what Instagram recommends to people is just so good. “But if people want to have a change, then this will provide them an opportunity. ”Explore more on these topicsInstagramMetaFacebookAustralian politicsNews CorporationSocial networkingnewsShareReuse this contentMost viewedMost viewed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government said Tuesday that it's proposing the "My Feed, My Way" initiative, which would force social media platforms to allow users over the age of 16 to either opt into having a feed that recommends personalized content by an algorithm or "opt out," so they can only see content from friends and creators they choose to follow.
Social media companies that fail to comply could face penalties of up to 109. The measures, set to be introduced to the Parliament of Australia this year, will also require AI chatbots, online games and other digital services to take action to protect under-18s from addictive design features.
What has been reported
It's about putting choice back into the hands of Australians online," Albanese said at a press conference on Tuesday regarding the proposed law. It gives users choice, and it will hold the big tech companies responsible for inaction," he added. Several social media platforms already let users separate content they see from friends and people they know, in some capacity. Facebook offers a friends-only feed, while Instagram provides Following and Favorites feeds. K. , France and Spain were among the other countries looking to curb children's access to social media.
The ban has received mixed feedback, with Albanese referring to it as "world-leading," but studies from the country's eSafety Commissioner showed that three months after the ban, over 81% of Australian children were still using at least one age-restricted platform. The report also found that 58% of teens were still using social media daily or more often, down from roughly 60% before the ban. Social media trialsSocial media companies have come under scrutiny this year.
What happens next
Meta settled for $18 billion in a landmark social media trial in August, brought by a coalition of dozens of U. Earlier this year, Meta and YouTube lost in a social media addiction trial in Los Angeles, which was brought by a plaintiff who claimed that addictive features such as autoplay and infinite scrolling on those platforms damaged her mental health. Meta lost a separate social-media case in March brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, after a court found that the company violated the state's child-safety laws and ordered it to pay over $900 million in penalties.
Many of the perceived problems teens face on social media are also problems facing adults. While the social media ban was designed to combat the harms faced by under-16s, many of us know relatives who have been radicalised reading Facebook comments, or grandparents scammed out of their retirement money by fake investments they saw on social media. Outrage bait is rewarded by engagement on platforms, and this has infected politics and public discourse in Australia and elsewhere.
It was telling the prime minister pointedly thanked News Corp for its support for the social media ban in Tuesday’s press conference.
The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across cnbc.com, theguardian.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.