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Australia Proposes 'My Feed, My Way' Law to Curb Algorithmic Social Media Feeds
Technology Services · Internet Software/Services · cnbc · 2026-09-08
META, GOOGL, SNAP
The Australian government is drafting legislation to allow users over 16 to disable algorithmic feeds, marking a major regulatory push against Big Tech.
What Happened
Legislative Proposal and User Choice: The Australian government has introduced the 'My Feed, My Way' initiative, which mandates that social media platforms offer users over 16 the ability to opt out of algorithm-driven content. This proposed law aims to shift control back to individuals by allowing them to restrict their feeds to content from followed creators and friends rather than AI-curated suggestions.
Regulatory Enforcement and Penalties: Platforms failing to comply with these new transparency and choice requirements face significant financial repercussions, with potential fines reaching 109.2 million Australian dollars. The legislation also includes provisions to protect minors from addictive digital design elements found in AI chatbots and online gaming services.
Broader Context of Tech Regulation: This move follows Australia's earlier, controversial attempt to implement a social media ban for children under 16, which saw limited success in reducing usage rates among teens. The government's latest effort reflects a global trend of increasing scrutiny on tech giants regarding their impact on mental health and user autonomy.
Industry Impact and Legal Precedents: Major social media companies, including Meta, are already facing intense legal pressure globally, including an $18 billion settlement in the U.S. related to platform harms. As regulators in California and other jurisdictions target features like infinite scrolling, the industry faces a growing wave of mandates that threaten to fundamentally alter their core business models.