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The federal government released draft legislation Tuesday requiring social media platforms to give Australian users control over what their feeds show them, building on last year’s ban on social media accounts for children under 16. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells unveiled the Digital Duty of Care exposure draft at Parliament House in Canberra, saying more than five million accounts have already been removed or deactivated under the existing minimum-age law.

Under the proposal, called My Feed, My Way, platforms will have to let every user over 16 choose between an algorithm-driven feed and one showing only the people they follow, and switch between the two at any time. For children, the draft names specific harms platforms must actively guard against, including content that promotes eating disorders, misogynistic material, pornography, content glorifying crime or dangerous stunts, and content causing serious distress such as abuse or cyberbullying. The eSafety Commissioner would also gain power to order the takedown of nudify apps. Companies that breach the rules face fines above $100 million, rising past $200 million per offence where a breach also crosses the existing minimum-age law, according to Wells.

Parents and advocacy groups joined the announcement, including Wayne Holdsworth of SmackTalk, whose son died two and a half years ago, and Emma Mason of Let Them Be Kids, whose daughter Tilly died by suicide in 2022. Both backed the legislation; Mason said it represented government support rather than control. Asked whether the changes amount to censorship, Albanese and Wells said the laws are about giving people choice over their own feeds, not policing political speech. The draft is now open for public consultation before heading to Parliament.

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