Australian users over the age of 16 will gain the legal right to opt out of social media algorithms under proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation unveiled by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. According to Prime Minister Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells, the draft laws aim to curb online harms, enforce platform accountability, and impose penalties exceeding $100 million for major tech companies that fail to comply.
The ‘My Feed, My Way’ Algorithm Opt-Out Mechanism
Under the proposed legislation, platforms must supply user empowerment tools that grant individuals genuine choices regarding their digital feeds, according to Prime Minister Albanese. Communications Minister Anika Wells stated that the framework allows users to reject algorithmic sorting entirely in favor of seeing “their friends, and the content creators they’ve chosen to follow”. Prime Minister Albanese defended the measure in Canberra, noting that the objective is user control rather than government intervention. The government maintains that the initiative is designed to withstand potential legal challenges.
Cracking Down on Harmful Content and Minor Protection
The Digital Duty of Care bill targets specific online dangers, including content promoting eating disorders, misogyny, and the glorification of crime to children. In addition to feed controls, the eSafety commissioner will receive expanded authority to issue formal removal notices targeting digital “nudify” applications. Prime Minister Albanese emphasized that technology companies failing to adhere to these mandates face financial penalties exceeding $100 million.
Sovereign Regulation and Big Tech Resistance
The legislative package follows Australia’s minimum age restrictions for social media use, which Communications Minister Anika Wells characterized as the beginning of a global reckoning for major technology firms. Addressing potential friction with international administrations—including criticisms from the Trump administration regarding foreign regulations on U.S. technology companies—Prime Minister Albanese asserted that Australia operates as a sovereign nation. According to the Prime Minister, regulatory policies are determined strictly by the Australian national interest.
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