Trump administration attacks Australia optout algorithm law in rare intervention
4 hours ago
- The US government has publicly criticized Australia's proposed digital duty of care law, calling it 'extraterritorial censorship of protected speech'.
- The US wants its social media companies excluded from the law, which would give Australians the option to opt out of algorithmic recommendation feeds.
- The submission from the US Embassy raised concerns about how Australia would define 'foreseeable harm' and argued the mandates could push platforms to demote sensitive topics, reducing reach of independent voices.
- This intervention is rare, as governments typically communicate such views through private channels.
- The Albanese government plans to use the law to force platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to offer users a choice between personalized algorithmic feeds and non-algorithmic feeds.
- The US also fears Australia's tech policies, such as the teen social media ban, could inspire other countries to adopt similar measures.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in New York promoting tech policies at the UN, amid rising tension with the Trump administration.
- US industry group NetChoice has joined a High Court challenge against Australia's teen social media ban.