US criticises Australia's proposed algorithm opt-out laws as 'censorship'

Australia’s draft digital duty-of-care laws, which would require tech firms to offer users an opt-out from social media recommendation algorithms, have drawn a formal rebuke from the US embassy in Canberra. Washington warned that vague definitions of “harm” in the proposals could enable government-enforced, viewpoint-based censorship, and argued that platforms forced to pre-emptively demote content might unintentionally reduce the reach of independent journalists and contentious voices. The submission also said mandated design changes could become rigid, one-size-fits-all requirements with effects beyond Australia’s borders, risk disadvantaging minority or dissenting viewpoints if regulators’ biases shape enforcement, and damage Australia’s reputation as a tech-friendly place for innovation.

Australian leaders reject that framing, with the prime minister insisting the aim is to restore individual choice over what appears on users’ devices rather than to centralize government control; he addressed these points while visiting the US and speaking at the UN General Assembly. The US critique arrived amid broader international debate over tech regulation - US President Donald Trump used his UN speech to downplay calls for AI guardrails - and follows recent Australian moves such as last December’s ban on social media use by under-16s, underscoring Canberra’s increasingly interventionist stance on online harms.