The Australian government will present to Parliament this week a bill proposal that establishes a "digital duty of care," allowing social media users the option to deactivate the algorithms that personalize recommendations based on their individual preferences. The measure aims to restrict the operations of major technology companies in the country.
Communications Minister Anika Wells told public broadcaster ABC that many Australians appreciate the algorithms for their usefulness and entertainment, but that the government believes tech giants should offer the choice to deactivate them and respect it. According to her, the intention is to give Australians more options about what appears in their feeds.
Social media companies have long faced criticism for the use of allegedly addictive algorithms that shape the user's experience on the platform based on their behaviors and preferences. The Australian proposal seeks to offer greater control to users over this algorithmic curation process.
