Australia is planning new rules that could change how people use social media. After a social media crackdown to keep kids under 16 years old from staying on the platforms last December, the Australian government now wants users to have a say in what will appear in their feed. However, the government wants users to get a personalized feed, which is called ‘My Feed, My Way,’ aimed at users who are 16 or older.
Under the proposal, users aged 16 and above could choose to turn off recommendation systems. Their feeds would then focus on posts from friends, pages and creators they have chosen to follow. Random posts from other people won’t appear on their feeds.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “This is not about giving government control. It’s about giving people control,” adding, “This is sensible, pragmatic, practical reform. It gives users choice, and it will hold the big tech companies responsible for inaction.”
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The idea is simple: users could keep the normal personalized feed if they like it. They could also switch it off and stick to accounts they follow. The government says people should have a real choice instead of being pushed towards content picked by a platform. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram already have this customization option with tabs like ‘Friends’ and ‘Favorites,’ respectively. The proposal is to make these options more prominent.
If the rule is implemented, Instagram will be less focused on suggested Reels and posts. Facebook will focus more on friends, groups, and pages users already follow. Finding new content may take more effort. At the same time, users may get a feed that feels less crowded and more predictable.
Australia’s proposal could put a new choice in millions of users' hands. Instead of letting an app decide what appears next, people could decide how much control they want over their own feed.