Australia’s government plans to require social-media platforms to show users a pop-up asking whether they want an algorithm to decide what appears in their feed or would rather see posts from people and groups they follow. The proposal, announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday, depends on digital duty of care legislation passing and companies complying with it; it is not yet an enacted rule.
How the proposed choice would work
The planned notification is intended to let Australians switch away from the recommendation systems that select content based on activity and engagement. Albanese described the approach as giving people a choice: users who want to continue scrolling through algorithmically selected material could do so, while others could choose a feed centred on accounts and groups they have deliberately followed.
The proposal is aimed at giving users more control over feeds that can include unrelated videos, posts and advertising. Its practical effect would depend on how the legislation defines the choice and how platforms implement it.
Why implementation could be difficult
Platforms may comply formally while making the alternative feed difficult to find or use. The supplied account notes that safety tools are often placed deep in settings and argues that companies could make an opt-out experience cumbersome enough to encourage people to return to algorithmic recommendations.
A European example illustrates the dispute. Meta introduced a no-algorithm feed in 2023 to comply with European Union law, but a Dutch court later ordered the company to provide a direct and simple way to opt out. The court found that users were automatically returned to Meta’s algorithm when they closed and reopened the app; Meta maintained that it was already complying with EU law.
The wider debate over recommended feeds
Supporters of the proposal point to concerns about harmful or inflammatory material being rewarded with engagement. The issue extends beyond teenagers: the planned Australian social-media age ban focuses on harms to under-16s, while adults can also encounter radicalisation, scams and outrage-driven political content on platforms.
Instagram is expected to promote its recommendation system in Australia this week through an “Algo Confessions” series, in which celebrities and influencers discuss their “For You” feeds and the material the service recommends. That campaign could shape the public debate as lawmakers consider the broader digital duty of care proposal.
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