Australians will be able to switch off social media algorithms under planned legislation - BBC News

Firms like Meta, Google and TikTok should face "substantial" penalties if they don't give the option, minister says.

Image caption, Anika Wells says social media companies should offer option to switch off algorithms

Australians would be able to switch off social media algorithms under draft legislation to be proposed this week.

Communications Minister Anika Wells, who last year helmed the government's world-first social media ban for under-16s, said the digital duty of care laws would ensure "some basic safety protections on an industry that hasn't had to observe it".

If tech firms such as Meta, Google and TikTok did not give the option to turn off algorithms, they should face "substantial" penalties, she said.

Some members of the opposition have criticised the proposal, with Liberal Party leader Angus Taylor saying he was "highly sceptical" and arguing the move could amount to censorship.