Australian law requires social media algorithm opt‑out; author tests Instagram without it

The Australian government announced on Tuesday a set of “world‑leading” reforms that will require social‑media platforms to provide users with an option to disable algorithmic curation of their feeds, a policy dubbed “my feed, my way.” The measures, part of a broader digital‑media strategy, obligate companies to offer a chronological or unfiltered view of content alongside their existing recommendation engines, aiming to give users greater control over the material they see online. The reforms have been presented as a response to growing public concern about the influence of automated feeds on information consumption and mental well‑being.

On the same day, an Instagram video showing a woman accidentally spilling a bucket of eels onto a Chinese train went viral, illustrating the type of content that algorithms can surface to large audiences. The clip, which captured dozens of eels slithering among passengers, quickly amassed millions of views, underscoring the platform’s capacity to amplify unexpected moments. The government’s new opt‑out provision seeks to let users decide whether such algorithm‑driven recommendations shape their experience, offering a choice between curated feeds and a straightforward chronological timeline.