Australia wants users to be able to switch off social media algorithms

Australia wants social media users to have a way to switch off the algorithms that personalize what they see, adding another measure to Canberra's expanding effort to regulate online platforms.

Communications Minister Anika Wells said Monday that the government would require technology companies to offer the option. A bill introducing a “digital duty of care” is expected to be presented to Parliament this week.

The proposal would require major platforms to let users disable algorithms that recommend content based on their tastes. Those systems are designed to keep people scrolling through videos, and the government says users should be able to decide whether they want that personalization.

“

Many Australians appreciate the algorithm, both for the pleasure it provides

“Many Australians appreciate the algorithm, both for the pleasure it provides” and for its usefulness, Wells told ABC. “Many Australians will want to choose the algorithm, but we think the tech giants should first give them the choice.”

The plan follows Australia's law, enacted in December, banning people under 16 from many social media platforms. The government introduced that measure to protect children from online bullying and what it calls “predatory algorithms,” and several other countries have followed its example. However, data from a parental-control application showed last month that social media use had risen again among under-16s after the ban.

“

Many Australians will want to choose the algorithm, but we think the tech giants should first give them the choice.