Australia's government plans to introduce draft legislation this week that would require social media companies to let users switch off content-recommendation algorithms, as part of new "digital duty of care" laws. Communications Minister Anika Wells said the move aims to impose "basic safety protections" on tech firms such as Meta, Google and TikTok, which she argued have so far escaped such obligations, with "substantial" penalties proposed for non-compliance. The proposal follows Australia's world-first ban on social media for under-16s and reflects growing government pressure on tech platforms, though it has drawn criticism from some opposition figures who fear it could amount to censorship.

Wells said the government would seek expert advice on whether users should have to opt in or opt out of algorithm-driven feeds, with legislation likely to precede full details of implementation, mirroring the approach taken with the under-16s ban. Liberal leader Angus Taylor voiced scepticism, while acknowledging no tech company has yet been fined for failing to enforce the existing ban, despite most under-16s who were previously on these platforms continuing to use them. Consent advocate Chanel Contos has separately urged an opt-in model, citing concerns that algorithms fuel exposure to sexual violence and misogynistic content among young people. The draft law is also expected to require platforms to curb harmful content such as illegal pornography and material promoting disordered eating.