Australia is drafting new social media regulations that would give users aged 16 and older the ability to turn off personalized recommendation algorithms and choose what appears in their feed. The proposal, called ‘My Feed, My Way,’ follows a December crackdown that barred children under 16 from staying on platforms.
Under the plan, users could switch off recommendation systems entirely. Their feeds would then show only posts from accounts they have deliberately followed—friends, pages, and creators. Random or suggested content from unknown users would not appear.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that the move is about user empowerment, not government overreach. “This is not about giving government control. It’s about giving people control,” he said. “This is sensible, pragmatic, practical reform. It gives users choice, and it will hold the big tech companies responsible for inaction.”
The option is meant to be straightforward: users keep the normal algorithmic feed if they prefer, or they can switch to a simpler, follower-only view. The government argues that people deserve a genuine alternative to content selected by the platform. Some apps, like Instagram and TikTok, already offer similar features through tabs such as ‘Friends’ or ‘Favorites,’ but the proposal would make these choices more prominent and accessible.
If implemented, the rule would change the experience on major platforms. Instagram would likely show fewer suggested Reels and posts, while Facebook would emphasize content from friends, groups, and pages already followed. Discovering new content might require more active searching, but users would gain a more predictable and less cluttered feed.
Australia’s move could put a new level of control into millions of hands, letting people decide how much influence the platform has over what they see next.
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