Australia is taking its next major step in social media regulation. After successfully banning accounts for users under 16, the government has now introduced the 'Digital Duty of Care' bill — a legislative framework requiring all digital platforms to offer users aged 16 and over a genuine choice between algorithmically curated feeds and a chronological timeline of posts from accounts they explicitly follow.
Under the proposed law, platforms must present the option clearly, with the government's stated aim being to give users — not platforms — control over what they see. 'It's not about giving the government control, but giving people control,' said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, framing the initiative under the motto 'My feed, my way.'
The bill goes beyond feed choice. It establishes a broader 'Digital Duty of Care' obligation covering social networks, online games, apps, and AI chatbots, requiring them to protect young users from harmful content including material that promotes eating disorders, misogynistic attitudes, or dangerous 'challenges.' Platforms must also address addictive features and functions that damage self-esteem.
Significant financial penalties are attached to non-compliance. The government has circulated the draft for consultation with platform operators, industry groups, and civil society organisations, with parliamentary introduction planned before the end of 2026.
The move positions Australia as one of the most aggressive jurisdictions globally on platform regulation, building on its existing age-verification enforcement and extending obligations to AI-driven products for the first time.
