Australia and Brazil advance digital safety and algorithmic regulation

Governments in Australia and Brazil are advancing legislative measures to increase accountability for digital platforms regarding user experience and minor safety.

In Australia, the government has introduced the ‘My Feed, My Way’ bill to Parliament. This proposal would require social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, to offer users an option to view feeds without algorithmic recommendations. Under this plan, users could choose a feed limited strictly to the accounts they follow. The bill is part of a broader ‘Digital Duty of Care’ framework aimed at protecting users under 18 from harmful content, such as material promoting eating disorders, hostility against women, or dangerous behaviors.

In Brazil, the Tribunal de Contas da União (TCU) is organizing a debate in Brasília to discuss the implementation of the ‘ECA Digital’ (Law No. 15.211/2025). This legislation establishes new obligations for digital services to protect children and adolescents. Key discussion points include technical challenges for age verification that do not compromise user privacy, the effectiveness of parental supervision tools, and the responsibility of tech companies to restrict access to inappropriate content.