Australia is drafting a Digital Duty of Care law that would require social platforms to let users swap the algorithmic feed for one showing only accounts they follow. Instagram head Adam Mosseri has argued that a following-only feed means less reach for everyone, and the plan is now meeting organised pushback.
What is proposed
The government released an exposure draft of the Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026 on September 8, with consultation closing September 22. It places a broad duty on online services to provide a safe environment, so far as is reasonably practicable.
Under the 'My Feed, My Way' idea, platforms would have to offer a choice between a personalised algorithmic feed and a following-only feed. Communications Minister Anika Wells has said platforms must respect the choice, not bury it, and not make users reset it every session. Reports differ on which feed would be the default, so treat that as unsettled.
- Civil penalties of up to about $109 million for companies, per Clayton Utz
- Most key changes would start 12 months after Royal Assent
- Recommender and endless-feed features are flagged as risky for under-16s
Meta's position and the pushback
Social Media Today reports that Mosseri repeated over the weekend that a following-only feed would mean a smaller Instagram with less reach for everyone. Separately, critics have attacked the draft on speech grounds, and Wells said the government removed a provision that would have let the minister define new harm categories without a full parliamentary vote.
No bill has been introduced yet, and the wording is still being revised.
Why advertisers should care
Paid placements are not the target here, but feeds are where ads run. If a meaningful share of Australian users switch to following-only feeds, time spent and ad inventory could shift, and organic reach for brand pages would likely fall further. The law is at least a year from taking effect, so this is a planning issue, not an urgent one.
It also fits a wider pattern. Australia already restricts social media for under-16s, and regulators elsewhere are looking at recommender systems too. For anyone running ads to Australian audiences, the safest assumption is that feeds will be more regulated in future, and that targeting will rely even more on what Meta's ranking can learn from creative and conversions rather than from detailed audience settings.
What to do now
There is nothing to change in Ads Manager today. Keep an eye on whether a bill is introduced, what the final default is, and when the 12-month clock would start. If you manage organic pages for Australian clients, set expectations early that a following-only option could reduce non-follower reach, and keep paid budgets ready to cover the gap.
What it means for you
- Nothing changes for Australian campaigns yet; the bill is still a draft
- Watch the final default setting, which matters more than the option itself
- Expect weaker organic reach if users opt out, so budget for paid
- Track AU frequency and CPMs once any opt-out goes live
Sources
- Australia's proposed algorithmic opt-out gets pushback (Social Media Today)
- Safe by design: unpacking Australia's proposed digital duty of care (Clayton Utz)
