Australia moves to give users control over social media feeds

• Platforms could face penalties of up to $79m for failing to comply.
• eSafety would gain additional powers over harmful and illegal content.
• The proposals come amid increased scrutiny of online platforms including Roblox.

Australia has proposed new rules that would give social media users greater control over the content shown on their feeds as the government continues its push to improve online safety.

As reported by Reuters, platforms would have to notify users and offer a choice over their default feed under draft legislation from the Labour government.

Users could opt into personalised content recommended by algorithms or choose to see posts only from friends and creators they follow.

The proposed “My Feed, My Way” initiative would also require platforms to document measures taken to address identified risks of harm to Australian users and ensure those measures remain effective.

Failure to comply could result in penalties of up to A$109.2 million ($79m), with Australia’s eSafety regulator responsible for enforcement. 

Greater oversight

ESafety would also gain powers to require platforms to quickly remove harmful, nudity-related and illegal content, although free speech advocates have raised concerns about potential censorship.

The proposals follow Australia’s world-first social media ban for children and come amid growing scrutiny of platforms and their recommendation algorithms.

The move also comes after increased Australian scrutiny of Roblox. In February, the government called for an urgent meeting with Roblox over child safety concerns.  

In August, Australia secured a court-enforceable undertaking requiring Roblox to introduce additional child safety measures and undergo an independent audit. 

More recently, Epic Games Store announced that Australian players will need to verify they are 18 or older to download or purchase R18+ games from the store from September 9th.