Is Australia starting a new battle with social media? The Labor government is proposing legislation to allow users to make decisions about the algorithm | Today’s news
The Australian government proposed new legislation on Tuesday (local time) to allow social media users to opt out of the platforms’ algorithms, in what could be a major step in global efforts to regulate Big Tech and curb online harm.
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Australia announces new legislation: Here’s what we know
The bill, known as Digital Duty of Care, has been introduced by the Labor government and will allow social media users across the country to control algorithm-driven recommendations, block suggested content and choose what appears in their feeds, Bloomberg reported.
The Labor government’s latest proposal could set the stage for a potential confrontation with platform operators such as Meta, TikTok and others. The move comes nearly nine months after Australia last year became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, a decision that was soon followed by governments around the world adopting similar restrictions.
Anika Wells, Australia’s communications minister, told a news conference: “There have been some seismic incidents in recent weeks,” adding: “This is our contribution.”
The “due care” approach seeks to require technology companies to build security into their products, placing additional obligations on the operating models of major platforms.
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According to the report, the proposed legislation would require platform operators to send notices to new and existing users offering a choice of default source.
Other features of the bill include
Digital services, including online games, apps and chatbots with artificial intelligence (AI), will have a duty to protect under-18s from design elements that have negative effects on behaviour, such as addictive elements or those that can affect a young person’s self-esteem.
These services will also be required to protect under 18s from:
- Content that promotes, promotes or facilitates eating disorders
2. Material that promotes hostility towards women or is against gender equality
4. Content that glorifies criminal activity or dangerous, life-threatening stunts
5. Content that causes serious psychological distress, including abuse and bullying
Australia’s latest move comes amid growing global scrutiny of social media platforms, with governments and regulators in the US and European Union increasingly turning to lawsuits, investigations and new regulations over concerns about online harm.
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Meta is facing a major setback in the US and the European Union
Last month, Instagram and Facebook’s parent company, Meta Platforms, agreed to pay about $18 billion to settle lawsuits over the social network’s claims by US states.
As part of the settlement agreement, the company would implement new safeguards across its platforms, including limits on how long young users can scroll and measures to prevent them from disabling certain safety settings without parental consent.
In the European Union, the company faces scrutiny over products that are addictive to children as the bloc steps up regulatory pressure on the social media giant.
While the details of the Australian bill and its implementation have yet to be worked out, it remains to be seen how the move would affect the operation of major social media platforms and their approach to online security.
