World news | The Guardian
· collected 2026-09-06 · by Tom McIlroy Political editor
Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells plans to introduce draft legislation creating a digital duty of care for social media users in Australia, which would include rules requiring social media platforms to allow users to turn off algorithms controlling their feeds. The plan aims to protect vulnerable users, including children, from being fed content that reinforces dangerous stereotypes and behaviors. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor expressed skepticism about the plan, warning it could lead to censorship of free speech online, while Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonno Duniam stated that empowering individuals and parents to make choices about what they consume is a more effective approach. Fines of over $100m would be imposed for breaches under the proposed legislation.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Australian government is planning to introduce draft laws that would require social media companies to give users the option to turn off algorithms that control the content in their feeds. The proposed "digital duty of care" legislation aims to protect vulnerable users, including children, from being fed content that can be harmful or disturbing. Communications Minister Anika Wells said that tech firms such as Meta, Google, and TikTok would face substantial penalties if they do not comply with the new rules. The laws also include provisions for fines of up to $100 million for breaches. This move has been met with criticism from opposition leader Angus Taylor, who expressed concerns about censorship. Meanwhile, the government is facing pressure to address concerns about its existing social media ban for under-16s, which research shows is still not being enforced effectively.
Written for “Australia Social Media Laws” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
Labor’s plan to crack down on social media algorithms faces significant opposition in federal parliament, with the opposition leader, Angus Taylor, warning against efforts by the government to “censor” free speech online.
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leader → crack → speech
The communications minister, Anika Wells, is expected to release draft legislation creating a digital duty of care for social media users in Australia as parliament returns this week.
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parliament → expect → Australia
Among new rules being considered are functions requiring popular social media platforms to allow users to turn off algorithms controlling the content in their feeds, and to better identify problematic or illegal content to protect vulnerable users including children.
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users → consider → children
Opt-out options for algorithms would give users the choice to make their social media feeds only feature content from friends and groups they choose to follow.
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they → opt → friends
Labor wants to better protect social media users from being fed content that reinforces dangerous stereotypes and behaviours, including in areas around body image, women’s safety and child protection.
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that → want → image
Fines of more than $100m would be created for breaches, with new powers given to the eSafety commissioner and researchers to investigate compliance by big platforms.
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Fines → create → platforms
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is expected to spruik the plan at the United Nations general assembly in New York later this month.
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minister → expect → York
Taylor told News24 on Sunday the government should focus on fixing problems with its under 16s social media ban before taking on new rules like the digital duty of care.
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government → tell → care
“I think everyone’s very disappointed at the way the government has implemented the initiatives to stop young Australians from getting access to social media,” he said.
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he → think → media
“It’s something like a 4.4% reduction we’ve seen, which is just immaterial in the scheme of things.
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which → ’ → things
What we want to see is parents having more control over what the kids get to see on social media.
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kids → want → media
“We’ll wait and see this legislation.
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We → wait → legislation
I’m deeply sceptical.
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I → ’m → ?
I fear that this is just going to be an attempt by the government to censor social media.”
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this → fear → media
He warned against the communications minister having “enormous” discretion in any new powers.
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minister → warn → powers
“I fear, given Labor and the minister’s past biases, that this will just be an attempt to censor the internet, and that’s not what we should be doing.”
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we → fear → what
The shadow home affairs minister, the outgoing Liberal senator Jonno Duniam, likened the government’s plans to dumped anti-misinformation legislation introduced during Labor’s first term in government.
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minister → liken → government
“Empowering individuals to make a choice about what they consume is absolutely where we should be at,” he said.
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he → empower → where
“Empowering parents to do the same for those that are in their custody, their kids, should absolutely absolutely do something.”
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that → empower → something
Duniam told ABC TV the Coalition would only support the plan if “it doesn’t necessarily impede on people’s rights and freedoms.”
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it → tell → rights
“I think that we probably already have in terms of our broadcast, free to air, film, and cinema, and other forms of media classification program, a good sort of baseline to go from.”
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we → think → baseline
The One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, has already criticised the government’s plan, warning Labor should not have control over what Australians see online.
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Australians → criticise → what
“Australia should be moving away from government censorship, not building the Orwellian machinery for it,” Hanson posted on social media last week.
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Hanson → move → media
Given the opposition from the Coalition and One Nation, any new legislation would require support from the Greens to pass the Senate.
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legislation → give → Senate
The Greens have called for opt-in rules, like those supported by campaigner Chanel Contos.
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Greens → call → Contos
That model would require social media users to give explicit consent to platforms before being subject to algorithm-based content in their feed.
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model → require → feed
