Australia's 'My Feed, My Way' law lets users switch off social media algorithms
The Albanese government has released draft legislation for a Digital Duty of Care, building on its world-leading social media age ban. The proposed law would require platforms like social media, games, and AI chatbots to meet minimum safety standards. An Australian first, 'My Feed, My Way' would force social media companies to offer users over 16 a choice between algorithmically curated feeds and chronological feeds from followed accounts. The law also targets harmful content and features for under-18s, grants eSafety new powers to remove nudify apps, and imposes fines up to $109.2 million for non-compliance.
This is not about giving government control, it is about giving people control.
- Vishal_Max
The damage is already done for most people who already use it. Whenever I go to a restaurant and see friends, families, and couples together, I feel sad that instead of talking to each other, they’re all watching TikToks or reels. On a bus or train, barely one or two people are actually doing something other than watching something online.
At least, hopefully, this rule helps future generations. People’s brains are so addicted that they can’t even focus for 10 minutes straight. On top of that, I see moms giving their toddlers mobile phones while they eat or whenever they need to get something done. People should really start considering how social media affects us in the long term.
- blfr
Why do people (or at least politicians pretend to) believe that social networks are popular despite the content algos and not because of them? The reason Tik Tok blew up is because it shows you what you want to see without you twiddling with a dozen dials.
Maybe giving people what they want is not great for them. I am ok with this argument. But then "giving people control" won't change anything. Vast majority of users would rather put up with shocking (to me) levels of annoyance and expense just not to configure/fix anything themselves.
- vintagedave
> Just as we have basic safety standards for cars, toys or food, the duty of care applies basic standards for the online products we use every day.
Aussie here. Great to see this. I don't think this goes far enough: I'd like to see addictive algorithms, content, and doomscrolling banned entirely. Not an option to see a different feed. Illegal. It's manipulative, hurts people, hurts children: make it illegal.
- armchairhacker
I’d prefer similar to Doctorow, that governments simply make scraping and republishing (anything that anyone who consents can access) explicitly legal, then alternate frontends may appear with their own algorithms.
- wewewedxfgdf
In 2023 the Australian Prime Minister Albanese was asked by Neil Mitchell on 3AW radio what he would do if he was "Dictator for a Day".
Albanese replied: "Ban social media".
Indeed.
ref: https://www.reddit.com/r/australian/comments/1gmakhz/anthony...
- tshapedrob
Brilliant! I really hope they get it through, and I’ll be interested to see what impact it has on screen time app sales in the region.
- agnishom
I read the first sentence and thought: what is the government of Albania doing in Australia?
- fmajid
It's unclear whether this legislation will require giving users the choice of the sort order. That's one of the tricks exploitative social networks use, selective prioritization of ragebait and other content that encourages "engagement". If you have the choice of strict chronological order, that removes a lot of the hold the networks have over you.