Updated September 8, 2026: Australia has now released its draft Digital Duty of Care legislation, turning yesterday’s proposal into a much more concrete set of rules for social media platforms and other digital services.
The headline change is an Australian-first initiative called ‘My Feed, My Way’. Under the draft laws, social media platforms would have to notify both new and existing users and offer them a choice over their default feed.
Users over 16 could opt in to a default feed containing personalised content recommended by an algorithm — or opt out and instead see content from the friends and creators they choose to follow.
For Australians accustomed to recommendation-heavy feeds, that could be one of the most visible changes to social media in years.
What ‘My Feed, My Way’ would actually do
The government’s September 8 announcement removes some of the uncertainty around how algorithm choice could work.
Social media services would be required to actively offer users a choice rather than leaving the option buried in settings. Communications Minister Anika Wells said platforms would be required to give users over 16 a choice over the feed they see when opening an app and to respect that choice.
That does not mean recommendation algorithms would be banned. Australians who want personalised recommendations could continue to use them. The important difference is that the default feed would no longer have to be an algorithmically personalised experience for everyone.
The Digital Duty of Care goes well beyond social media
The draft legislation is broader than its algorithm provisions.
The government says digital services including online games, apps, messaging platforms and AI chatbots would have obligations to protect people under 18 from design features with negative behavioural impacts, including addictive features and features that can affect a young person’s self-esteem.
Services would also be expected to address specified harmful content affecting young people, including material promoting eating disorders, pornography, content glorifying crime or life-endangering stunts, serious bullying and abuse, and content promoting hostile ideas about women and gender equality.
Digital platforms would have to document the measures they take to address identified risks to Australian users and ensure those measures remain effective over time.
Penalties could reach $109.2 million
One important detail is now confirmed.
The government says failure to comply with the proposed Digital Duty of Care could attract penalties of up to A$109.2 million, with the independent eSafety Commissioner responsible for compliance and enforcement.
That is a significant development from the earlier proposal, when the exact penalty structure for the new duty had not yet been released.
The draft laws would also give eSafety power to issue removal notices for so-called nudify apps or websites and streamline existing child cyberbullying and adult cyber-abuse schemes.
What this could mean for Meta, TikTok, Google and other platforms
If enacted in its current direction, the reform would shift more responsibility onto the companies designing digital products.
For social platforms, the most obvious challenge is product design: services built around personalised recommendations may need to make a non-personalised feed a genuine, accessible choice for Australian users.
For gaming platforms, apps, messaging services and AI chatbots, the implications are different. The focus is on identifying foreseeable risks, particularly for people under 18, and building protections into the service rather than relying primarily on complaints after harm occurs.
The practical impact on individual companies will depend on the final legislation and how the obligations are applied. The government has released the draft for targeted consultation, so changes are still possible before the bill reaches Parliament.
What happens next
The government is seeking feedback from digital platforms, industry bodies, civil-society organisations and advocates on the draft laws. It says legislation is intended to be introduced to Parliament this year.
That means ‘My Feed, My Way’ is not a feature Australians can switch on today. It is a proposed legal requirement contained in draft legislation, and the final rules could change through consultation and the parliamentary process.
Still, the September 8 release gives Australians the clearest picture yet of what the government wants: greater control over algorithmic feeds for social media users and a broader safety-by-design obligation across major digital services.
Sources: Prime Minister of Australia — My Feed, My Way, Minister for Communications — My Feed, My Way, and eSafety Commissioner.
