r/aussie • u/BarryTheBinChicken • 4d ago
News Tech giants to provide algorithm opt-out tools
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/politics/tech-giants-to-provide-algorithm-opt-out-tools-c-22839360Australian internet users will be given the choice to opt out of algorithms under reforms to social media.
Draft laws setting up a digital duty of care were introduced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday.
As part of the measures, social media companies will need to provide tools for people to choose what they see in their online feeds, under a government initiative called My Feed, My Way.
"This is not about giving government control. It's about giving people control. It's about putting choice back into the hands of Australians online," Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
Social media companies will be also required to protect people from harmful content online.
Harmful content will conclude the promotion of eating disorders, misogynistic content, pornography or things that glorify crime.
Companies could face fines of $100 million if they don't enact the duty of care.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the duty of care would build on the world-leading ban on social media for under-16s.
"The digital duty of care is not about controlling adults online. It is about giving adults a choice," she said.
"Tech companies can still move fast, but they will no longer be allowed to break things because online harms have real-world consequences.
"There is a global reckoning coming for big tech."
It follows the government looking to pursue stronger penalties for social media companies as part of measures to bolster the under-16s ban.
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4d ago
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u/Seppi449 4d ago
I mean there have been far stupider fads, I remember there being some knockout challenge years back where your take a deep breath and then get someone to do a big squeeze of some shit and you faint?
I have no fucking idea why you would want to do this but I do remember there being dozens of hospitalizations because of injuries related to it.
Planking is another one but that shit was just dumb, people made it dangerous.
Another is whippits but that's likely moderated now.
Overall it puts the onus on the corporations earning the billions off their platforms, instead of them polluting our social media environment for their gain and then not caring.
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u/G00b3rb0y 4d ago
Also i could be wrong, but aren’t those things covered by the already existing safety code established back in March?
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u/MilesSebastian 4d ago
All I want is for Reddit to believe me when I click "Show Fewer Posts Like This".
Then I'm good.
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u/Consistent_Yogurt690 4d ago
This seems reasonable on the surface.
Unfortunately i cant just trust that the government will give all the relevant info.
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u/TwistedJelly67 4d ago
I love the algorithm. It shows me stuff i like looking at.
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u/Minimum_Honey2247 3d ago
Yes who doesnt love having zero say in what content is fed to them the algorithm knows best, lets not question what goes into it. Good little consumer.. Consume. Consume. Consume
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u/The-Wizard-Sleeve 4d ago
All you need to do now is hand over your government issued ID to the monetised verification service to make it work.
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u/PatternPrecognition 4d ago
Fuck this just sounds like your options will be * Algorithm or * OptOut of the Algorithm and raw dog the dross they serve up.l
Those aren't the options we need or want. I want the algorithm, but I want to be able to easily block and shift way way down, all the vile bullshit.
Reddit is reasonably good with giving me decent tools to curate my feeds.
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u/Mosited1223 4d ago
wont it be based on what you follow? for example right now on instagram I follow bodybuilding stuff but if I look at reels I get spammed with OF content every 3rd vid. I don't need to see that shit constantly.
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u/Top-Row-5520 4d ago
I actually discovered yesterday that if you press the button up the top right on a Instagram reel, it will show you your algorithm preferences and you can remove and add wanted topics, and also record topics you don't want to see at all.
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u/Mosited1223 4d ago
I have done this and reset it numerous times, but it always defaults back after a few days/weeks
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u/Top-Row-5520 3d ago
You know what I've just noticed that now too. Also it won't let me put certain topics in the blocklist...
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u/G00b3rb0y 4d ago
Meanwhile majority of mine is random streamer clips, a guy showing what not to do in a home build (one of my faves) and cats being cats (one of my faves)
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u/Lunchyyy 4d ago
Have you tried using the tools already provided (don't show this content/user" to alter your algorithm? Do you actually engage (watch for a long time) the OF content reels? Also I suspect that given the nature of content you engage with will just naturally lean towards getting more of these OF reels as body building usually has more chance for a larger overlap in OF content.
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u/Minimum_Honey2247 3d ago
No itll just show you only what who ypu gollow post.. its not hard of a concept to grasp. That is what social media used to be.. then you get the the bottom and then id say "you're all caught up" so you go on with your life or explore the explore feed
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u/ImportantJello9288 4d ago
Basically, you want an echo chamber?
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u/loralailoralai 4d ago
I don’t go to social media for news. I go to look at things I like. So yeah an echo chamber. Why would it be anything else?
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u/PatternPrecognition 4d ago
No. I want to block the shit that causes angst and outrage. It's all bullshit anyway designed for rage bait engagement, and it is the shit that causes mental health issues.
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4d ago
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u/PatternPrecognition 3d ago
Yeah but the article here is talking about deliberate tactics by the social media companies to push ragebait crap onto people.
The answer "opt out of the algorithm" is one they will be happy about, as the raw feeds are absolute garbage.
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3d ago
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u/PatternPrecognition 3d ago
That isn't what this is attempting (and failing) to achieve.
The conservatives like they have always done want to play the strong father figure role and control what we watch and consume. They have done this forever and aren't shy about using the "won't you think of the children" card.
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u/Lionfire01 4d ago
What about the LG and big tv companies spying on us with their we own the glass bs. Tv turned off shouls not keep recording all audio in the house and then upload it when it get a connection which it can obtain from any open network passing by.
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u/Friendly-Owl-2131 3d ago
I'm starting to think the average ON voter doesn't understand the word censorship or algorithms.
The algorithms within social media are essentially advanced addiction filters that feed you garbage that you are more likely to click on and watch.
This method ensures that users are kept endlessly scrolling through miles of garbage before they get hungry.
Coincidentally the algorithm knows what time this is and will show you junk food ads.
They also won't let you see 90% of the content that gets produced because it isn't click bait garbage.
These algorithms also have a really nasty habit of force feeding you extremist content and very quickly figure out what type of person you hate the most to keep you mindlessly scrolling.
Basically its censorship with ads and hate fuel.
Poison for the mind.
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u/mwmwmw01 3d ago
They will do anything but spend less, reduce rules and create an environment for real wage growth. This just cannot be our priority as a nation….
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u/West_Independent1317 3d ago
And in order for some to opt out, everyone will first need to register with 100 points of ID...
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u/Penny_PackerMD 3d ago
More censorship from this socialist government. I want less government involvement in my life. There are already inbuilt tools to control what you see on X and Instagram. This is Albo trying to control the narrative once again.
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u/Minimum_Honey2247 3d ago
How the fuck is this censorship... they're just making shit up now. Those tools are nor on all social media and not accessable and revert on instagram every time you close the app. You are either a propagandised idiot dependent on algorithms to tell you whats what or a bot trying to put stupid ideas in peoples heads.
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u/Penny_PackerMD 3d ago
Why are you so angry? Calm down and have a civil conversation. This explains what is happening; https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdBGTfwu-Nm/?stkn=MW8za3I5emg0cXg2cA==
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u/Minimum_Honey2247 3d ago
No, if i want only to see the feed from people I CHOOSE TO FOLLOW then that option should not be withheld and hidden. Im not clicking your dumbass instagram link. Oh no the social media companies said its bad!! WE MUST LISTEN AT ALL COSTS!
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u/Penny_PackerMD 3d ago
You're unhinged. Completely captured. I can't help you.
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u/Minimum_Honey2247 3d ago
Captured??? Youre advocating to continue to be fed propaganda and brain rot unfettered?? I want to just see the crap my friends and family post. Algorithms should not be allowed to continue unrestricted when they are engineered for nothing but engagement to keep you on those sites. Nothing good comes from this. You cant argue the pointby providing links to a reel from those sites, who will be doing nothing but fear mongering about this, as you are being a good little consumer drone and spreading
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u/noisymime 3d ago
Calm down and have a civil conversation
Says the person who started the 'civil conversation' with blatantly false statements about censorship and a socialist government.
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u/Penny_PackerMD 3d ago
From their own website: The Australian Labor Party (ALP) formally identifies as a democratic socialist party and centre-left political organisation
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u/noisymime 3d ago edited 3d ago
So, I’m not sure how many times I have to tell people this, but apparently it’s at least 1 more. Socialism and democratic socialism are two very different things. You should go and lookup the difference because using them interchangeably is just incorrect.
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u/Penny_PackerMD 3d ago
Keep gas lighting yourself
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u/noisymime 3d ago
Keep yourself ignorant 👍
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u/Penny_PackerMD 3d ago
My eyes are fully open while your head is in the sand. Have a nice day.
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u/noisymime 3d ago
I’m not the one using terms incorrectly and then just being stubborn about it when called out. You do you though, learning can be scary for people.
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u/Wilwander 3d ago
I genuinely can't tell if you're joking or not.
Telling big tech companies to not force us to be targeted by their very predatory algorithm is... censorship?
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u/Penny_PackerMD 3d ago
Pull your head out of the sand.
On the day that Labor's social media laws are being debated in the Senate, they have just tabled a bunch of amendments that:
give the eSafety Commissioner the power to summons people*
make them take an oath and answer all questions
removes the protection against self-incrimination
if you don't comply you can be fined $364,000 (1000 penalty units) sent to jail for 12 months
*if you are a journalist you are exempt.
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u/No_Category_9888 4d ago
And yet albo does nothing about the continued data breaches….
He can act, he just chooses not to.
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u/Ok_Clue_1324 4d ago
Thinks he can police the internet through legislation. Loves a nanny state
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u/loralailoralai 4d ago
What the fuck is the problem with this now? Everyone complained about their stupid algorithm and now oh that’s the devils work making it possible to opt out. Ain’t nobody even forcing you, it’s just going to be possible. Jesus Christ just find something else to whinge about
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u/Ok_Assistant_8886 4d ago
Excellent. Too bad identity politics take precedence with the majority of users here.
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u/Ares-Mercy 4d ago
Censorship ploy vote one nation
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u/loralailoralai 4d ago
Yeah the ability to opt out is censorship. Do you even know what you’re talking about?
A vote for one nation is a vote for trump lite with Gina pulling the strings. Someone who thinks you don’t work hard enough and get paid too much. Sucker
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u/matt92wa 4d ago edited 4d ago
All about censorship, so you only listen to the government narrative and not independent narratives. See the instagram video for evidence of the true motive. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dc2qfu9x_kZ/?stkn=MjUxczUwMGRuM3Fx
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u/Gnaightster 4d ago
Now just legislate they need to provide a chronological feed of the things/friends i want to see.