Australia's Algorithm Opt-Out Bill

The story so far

As of September 8, 2026

Australia has put a draft Digital Duty of Care bill on the table that would force Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and others to give every user over 16 a clear choice of feed. The “My Feed, My Way” rule requires a pop‑up for new and existing users to pick their default: an algorithmic feed, or a feed that shows only posts from accounts they follow, typically in time order. Ignoring the rules could cost up to A$109.2 million. The bill also extends to AI chatbots, games and apps, and gives Communications Minister Anika Wells powers to decide which services must comply, what counts as a harmful feature, and which user controls platforms must provide.

This turns regulation from chasing bad posts to reshaping the systems that decide what people see. The bill tackles the engines that keep people scrolling by making the choice visible, easy and lasting, and by barring tricks that make the non‑algorithm option hard to use or find. That design focus is why the opt‑out must be offered up front in a pop‑up, why platforms cannot degrade the follow‑only feed, and why large fines and stronger eSafety tools sit behind the promise of choice.

What is at stake now is whether platforms can deliver usable, follow‑only feeds at scale without smuggling back ranking that steers behavior, and whether people will actually use the switch. The business hit could be real because these recommendation systems drive time on app and ad targeting, while creators worry about discovery if ranking is off. Technically, platforms will have to separate spam filtering from behavior‑based ranking, and keep the non‑algorithm feed stable without adding friction that violates the new rules.

The bill is at draft stage and out for consultation, with the government aiming to introduce it to Parliament this year. Labor backs the choice model; the Greens want algorithms off by default; Coalition figures are probing free‑speech and design risks. The proposal builds on the under‑16 social media ban that took effect in December 2025, which removed millions of accounts but left many teens still active, underscoring why the focus has shifted to product design. The immediate test is the text the government now writes into law; the larger test is enforcement that makes the choice real.