Four young men describe how manosphere content reached them through social media algorithms, often starting with gym videos. Several say the messages moved from self-improvement into misogyny and pressure over money, status and appearance. One Melbourne man says he posted a controversial video that went viral, and later was hospitalised and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Others describe leaving social media or steering younger relatives away from these influencers.
Communications Minister Anika Wells has been named on Time magazine's list of 100 influential rising stars. The recognition comes as the government's social media ban for under-16s draws international attention. The ban has proved difficult to enforce in Australia. The government has also promised that Australians will be able to opt out of social media algorithms under its upcoming Digital Duty of Care.
Communications minister Anika Wells has introduced Labor's Digital Duty of Care Bill, draft legislation that amends the Online Safety Act, and it has been sent to committee. NSW Premier Chris Minns has placed armed police with automatic rifles on Sydney beaches under a social cohesion squad. Discretionary trust reform is also headed to committee, with the top 2 per cent facing a 30 per cent rate. Meta has settled a $17 billion case over its algorithms.
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Communications Minister Anika Wells has introduced Labor's digital duty of care bill into parliament. The bill amends the Online Safety Act and requires online service providers, including social media platforms, websites, games and messaging apps, to provide a safe environment. Platforms must act to protect Australians from seriously harmful material and conduct, and protect children from harms such as bullying and material promoting disordered eating. The bill will now go to a Senate inquiry, with a report expected before the end of the year.
Communications Minister Anika Wells has introduced her amended Digital Duty of Care bill to the House of Representatives. Labor's majority in the lower house means it is expected to face little opposition there. The bill must still pass the Senate, where the Greens want stronger measures, including a right for individuals to seek compensation from tech companies. The Coalition opposes the bill, with Liberal frontbencher James Paterson calling it unsalvageable. The bill would require big tech companies to reduce online harm, including by letting users opt out of social media feed algorithms.
The Albanese government has introduced digital duty of care legislation to parliament. The bill would let social media users opt out of recommender algorithms and view a feed of only the accounts they follow. The model resembles the feed used by WeChat in China for more than a decade. Researchers say that feed has not removed competition for attention. Publishers there still publish fast, often with low-quality content, and they say the same could happen in Australia if users opt out. They also argue the approach shifts responsibility onto individuals rather than the companies that run the platforms.
Communications Minister Anika Wells will table revised Digital Duty of Care laws in Parliament on Thursday after criticism that her earlier draft gave the minister too much power. She says the final bill removes the ministerial power to define new harms, which Parliament alone could add through amendment. The Coalition and One Nation have opposed the laws as a threat to free speech, while the Greens have not ruled out supporting them. The legislation's centrepiece is Labor's My Feed, My Way initiative, which would give users over 16 a choice to opt out of algorithmic feeds.
Advocate Chanel Contos has turned her campaign toward social media algorithms. She argues that the way feeds are curated and distorted is contributing to a rise in teenage sexual abuse in Australia and beyond. Contos previously founded Teach Us Consent, whose campaign led to the teaching of sexual consent being mandated in the national curriculum. Her current campaign has reached parliament, helping to shape a bill that would make it easier for users to scroll algorithm-free. The campaign has also drawn opposition from within Australia and from the Trump administration.
Teenage boys say social media algorithms keep showing them misogynistic content, even when they never search for it. Eighteen-year-old Zac Roebig said such videos appear on his feed and are pushed by the platform's recommendation system. Researchers at QUT and the QIMR Berghofer Institute say the feeds can quickly lead users towards anti-feminist content. A Melbourne University study found boys aged 13 to 17 were the most likely group to hold hostile attitudes towards women. Experts say the home environment also plays a critical role, and the federal government has proposed letting users opt out of algorithms.
Laws allowing Australians to opt out of social media algorithms are set to pass after Labor dropped a clause giving ministers power to ban certain content. The digital duty of care bill would also require social media companies to ensure under-18s are not exposed to harmful material, such as pornography and bullying. The coalition called the bill political censorship, but the Greens are unlikely to resist now the obstacle has been removed. The government will also introduce a 30 per cent minimum tax on discretionary trusts, which small business groups have criticised.
