Australia moves to give users, especially Indigenous youth, a choice to disengage from algorithmic feeds.
Communications Minister Anika Wells announced a draft law that will let platforms such as Meta, Google and TikTok offer an opt‑out option for algorithmic content. If platforms refuse, they could face substantial penalties.
For Indigenous communities, whose stories and cultural practices increasingly travel through social media, algorithmic bias can distort representation and expose young people to harmful narratives. Critics argue the measure risks censorship, yet the government frames it as a digital duty of care, a continuation of the 2025 ban on under‑16s.
Representative Chanel Contos has highlighted how algorithms can funnel young audiences toward misogynistic and violent content, calling for stricter content controls.
Beyond algorithms, the bill will also require platforms to remove illicit pornography and disordered‑eating videos, aiming to protect all users from content that harms mental and physical wellbeing.
