How the Albanese government will change your social media feed forever under new ‘opt out’ rule – as it forces tech companies to remove harmful content

Australian internet users will be given the choice to opt out of algorithms under reforms to social media.

Draft laws setting up a digital duty of care were introduced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday.

As part of the measures, social media companies will need to provide tools for people to choose what they see in their online feeds, under a government initiative called My Feed, My Way.

Under the changes, Aussies will soon be able to choose between a feed selected by an algorithm or one made up of posts from their friends.

‘This is not about giving government control. It’s about giving people control. It’s about putting choice back into the hands of Australians online,’ Albanese told reporters in Canberra.

‘This isn’t about government decision-making. This is about empowering people. And so, we hope that that produces good outcomes.

‘If people want to doomscroll, as you call it, that’s fine. That’s up to them.

‘But if people want to have a change, then this will provide them with the opportunity.’

Social media companies will be also required to protect people from harmful content online.

Harmful content will conclude the promotion of eating disorders, misogynistic content, pornography or things that glorify crime.

Companies could face fines of $100 million if they don’t enact the duty of care.

Communications Minister Anika Wells said the duty of care would build on the world-leading ban on social media for under-16s.

‘The digital duty of care is not about controlling adults online. It is about giving adults a choice,’ she said.

‘Tech companies can still move fast, but they will no longer be allowed to break things because online harms have real-world consequences.

‘There is a global reckoning coming for big tech.’

It follows the government looking to pursue stronger penalties for social media companies as part of measures to bolster the under-16s ban.

Wells rejected suggestions th proposed online safety reforms would allow regulators to police political commentary or so-called misinformation, insisting the measures are focused on safety rather than censorship.

Asked whether the legislation could empower the Australian Communications and Media Authority or the eSafety Commissioner to regulate political views online, Wells said it was ‘not about censorship.’

‘It is about giving people control over what they see online,’ she said.

The minister said the reforms would introduce ‘basic safety standards’ and place obligations on technology companies to identify and mitigate risks on their platforms.

‘The focus is on harms caused by systems, tools and features,’ Wells said.

She said the proposed framework would primarily target illegal content for adult users, including ‘child sexual exploitation material’, ‘child abuse material’, ‘extreme violence’, ‘sexual violence’, ‘menacing, threatening or harassing conduct’, and ‘terrorism and violent extremism material’.

Wells said the reforms were also designed to give users greater control over their online experience.

‘Aside from illegal content, the reforms are about choice,’ she said.

Under the proposal, adults would be able to disable algorithmically recommended feeds and instead view content from accounts and creators they actively choose to follow.