Australia proposes law to restrict social media algorithms

Australia has unveiled the ‘My Feed, My Way’ bill, a legislative move designed to disrupt the economic models of major social media platforms. Introduced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the law would require platforms to allow users over the age of 16 to choose between an algorithmically personalized feed and a chronological feed limited to accounts they follow.

For users under the age of 16, the use of recommendation algorithms would be entirely prohibited. This measure aims to protect minors from addictive design features, such as infinite scrolling and variable rewards, which researchers suggest can impact sleep and well-being by stimulating the dopaminergic system.

The regulation poses a significant threat to the advertising revenue of tech giants like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube. Analysts suggest that up to 85% of such platforms' advertising income relies on algorithmic personalization to maximize user engagement and ad views. For instance, Meta generated $134 billion in advertising revenue in 2025, a figure heavily driven by these systems.