Australia’s proposed social media algorithm opt-out laws and Meta’s legal settlements
Consensus Summary
Australia’s government is pushing for new laws requiring social media platforms to let users opt out of algorithmic feeds, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announcing the plan on Tuesday. The move follows a US court case where Meta settled for US$18 billion after 29 US states accused its platforms of being addictive, though the company denied wrongdoing. Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, warned that removing algorithms would flood users’ feeds with brand content, reducing engagement and satisfaction, as brands post more frequently than individuals. While chronological feeds are already available globally, uptake remains low, with Mosseri estimating usage in the 'low single-digit percentages.' The proposal aligns with stricter EU and Dutch regulations, including a Dutch court order in October 2025 to make chronological feeds the default. Meta’s recent $23 billion settlement further influenced Australia’s push, though Mosseri maintains Instagram is not clinically addictive, distinguishing it from colloquial usage of the term.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans on Tuesday to require social media platforms to prompt users to choose between algorithm-recommended content or a reverse chronological feed.
- Meta settled a US court case last month for US$18bn while denying wrongdoing, with the company’s lawyer conceding that people can struggle with social media.
- The Australian government’s proposal to force platforms to give users a choice to opt out of algorithmic feeds was announced this week.
- Instagram’s chief executive, Adam Mosseri, said users would be 'overwhelmed' with brand content in an algorithm-free world, citing that brands and companies post more frequently than individuals.
- Instagram’s chronological feed option is already available globally, including in Australia, but uptake has been low, with Mosseri estimating it in the 'low single-digit percentages'.
- A Dutch court ordered platforms in October 2025 to provide chronological feeds as a default, following similar rules introduced in the Netherlands less than a year prior.
- The US court case involved 29 US states and resulted in a US$23 billion settlement, with Meta agreeing to allow US teens to choose a chronological feed.
- Instagram’s Algo Confessions series, launched in Australia, features celebrities and influencers explaining how the algorithm determines content and how users can adjust settings.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The Australian government plans to introduce a range of measures to address online harm alongside the algorithm opt-out proposal.
- Meta’s lawyer in the US court case conceded 'no dispute' that people can struggle with social media, though the company denied wrongdoing.
- Instagram’s algorithms include ranking friends’ stories, message suggestions, and feed content, with Mosseri noting the platform over-optimizes for measurable metrics.
- Mosseri said Instagram’s ranking algorithm 'feels like a black box' but aims to give users more control via opt-out settings and future AI explanations.
- The Australian Digital Duty of Care framework could impose $100 million fines on platforms that fail to reduce harms proactively.
- Mosseri cited engagement falling by 'as much as 50 per cent' when users switch to chronological feeds, though he did not provide exact figures.
- The My Feed, My Way bill was influenced by Meta’s $23 billion settlement, which followed accusations that Instagram was designed to addict young people.
- Mosseri acknowledged that Instagram’s chronological feed option reverts to algorithmic sorting when the app is reopened, unlike in the Netherlands where it remains default.
- The European Union’s 2023 laws require large platforms to offer chronological feeds, but accessibility remains an issue in many regions.
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian states the Australian government’s announcement was made on Tuesday, while ABC refers to it as happening 'two days' before the article’s publication date (2026-09-10).
- The Guardian does not mention a $100 million fine for non-compliance with Australia’s Digital Duty of Care, while ABC explicitly states this penalty.
- The Guardian implies the Algo Confessions series launch in Australia is the first outside the US, but ABC does not confirm this timeline.
- ABC notes that Meta’s $23 billion settlement was reached 'last month,' while the Guardian states it was 'last month' without specifying the month, but both align on the timing relative to the articles’ publication.
Source Articles
Instagram boss says users will be ‘overwhelmed’ with brand content in algorithm-free world
Adam Mosseri says platform’s algorithm ‘feels like a black box’ but company trying to give users more control after Labor announces opt-out plan Instagram’s chief executive has said users will have a worse experience in an algorithm-free world, seeing more brand-related content, and spend less time on the app. The comments come as the Australian government plans to give users the option to opt out of algorithms , with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, announcing plans on Tuesday to require s
Instagram boss warns users will be 'overwhelmed' without algorithm
The head of Instagram says the average person who turns off their algorithm will have a much worse "user experience", as Australia debates new opt-out laws.
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