QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (14:28): I thank Senator Brown for that question too. Social media algorithms determine what content users see online. Not only does that take away user autonomy but algorithms are amplifying harmful content, including content that normalises misogyny and puts women and girls at risk.

We think that Australians should be able to choose what content they see and when. For the first time anywhere, Australians will be able to switch the algorithm off and see only what they have actually chosen to follow. Remember those old days when you just followed what you wanted to follow?

It's called 'My Feed, My Way'. The feed will answer to the user, not the other way around. As a government, we want to give control back to Australians while minimising harmful content that promotes harm.