Age ban seen as too narrow
Hanson-Young argued that banning under-16s from social media did not address algorithmic harms affecting users of all ages, and said safety policy should also make platforms responsible for safer design.
Online Safety Amendment (Fix Our Feeds)
Current status
This bill is currently before Parliament.
Policy area
Transport & communications
What does this bill do?
The bill would amend the Online Safety Act 2021The Commonwealth online safety law that this bill would amend. It gives the eSafety Commissioner powers over several kinds of harmful online content and online services. so social media services must let all Australian end-users opt out of receiving recommended contentContent shown because a system prioritises material or makes personalised suggestions. The bill targets these recommender or content-curation systems. at any time.
Why was it introduced?
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young introduced the bill as a private Greens proposal to give users more control over algorithmic feeds and to impose broader safety obligations on large online platforms. The explanatory memorandum frames the problem as social media services pushing addictive or harmful content and targeted advertisingAdvertising directed to users based on information about them or their behaviour. The bill would require large providers to let Australian users opt out of it.. In the second-reading speech, Hanson-Young argued that the under-16 social media ban did not address harms affecting users of all ages, and that Australia should require algorithm opt-outs and a digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users. rather than relying only on access restrictions for children.
Broader context
The bill sits in a wider Australian debate about online safety, platform accountability and the limits of age-based social media restrictions. The Online Safety Act 2021The Commonwealth online safety law that this bill would amend. It gives the eSafety Commissioner powers over several kinds of harmful online content and online services. already gives the eSafety CommissionerAustralia's independent online safety regulator. The bill would add complaint, investigation and enforcement roles for the Commissioner in relation to algorithm opt-outs and large provider duties. powers over severe online abuse and harmful content, and the social media minimum-age framework began on 10 December 2025. Before this bill, government reviews, inquiries and public reporting had already canvassed stronger platform duties, higher penalties and a digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users.. This private senator's billA bill introduced by a senator who is not introducing it as a government minister. APH lists this bill as a private bill sponsored by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. is a specific Greens proposal within that debate: it would add an algorithm opt-out right and a wider set of duties for large regulated online services, but the source bundle does not show that it has passed.
Key criticism
The collected parliamentary record for this bill contains the sponsor's case for the bill, but not later opposition speeches, committee findings, divisions or amendment outcomes. The main criticisms available in the local bundle are therefore criticisms of the existing policy setting rather than criticism of this bill: Hanson-Young argued that the under-16 social media ban was too narrow, that the government had been slow to deliver a digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users., and that platforms should not control algorithmic feeds without stronger duties and user choice.
Who supported it?
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Greens.
Introduced in Senate 01 Apr 2026
At second reading in Senate 01 Apr 2026
Not yet reached House —
Not yet law —
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
70 days
Updated 10 June 2026.
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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The bill would amend the Online Safety Act 2021The Commonwealth online safety law that this bill would amend. It gives the eSafety Commissioner powers over several kinds of harmful online content and online services. so social media services must let all Australian end-users opt out of receiving recommended contentContent shown because a system prioritises material or makes personalised suggestions. The bill targets these recommender or content-curation systems. at any time.
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Recommended contentContent shown because a system prioritises material or makes personalised suggestions. The bill targets these recommender or content-curation systems. would mean material that is prioritised or personally suggested by a recommender or content-curation system.
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Users could complain to the eSafety CommissionerAustralia's independent online safety regulator. The bill would add complaint, investigation and enforcement roles for the Commissioner in relation to algorithm opt-outs and large provider duties. if they believe they cannot opt out, and the CommissionerAustralia's independent online safety regulator. The bill would add complaint, investigation and enforcement roles for the Commissioner in relation to algorithm opt-outs and large provider duties. could investigate those complaints.
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A social media provider that fails to provide the opt-out could face a civil penalty of the greater of 100,000 penalty units or 10% of its annual turnover for the relevant 12-month period.
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The bill would also create minimum obligations for regulated online services, including user-number reporting for all providers and additional duties for large providers.
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Large providers would have to assess and mitigate risks, publish transparency information, cooperate with audits, give eligible researchers access to some research data, default users to maximum privacy protections and let Australian users opt out of targeted advertisingAdvertising directed to users based on information about them or their behaviour. The bill would require large providers to let Australian users opt out of it..
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If enacted in the introduced form, the bill would commence the day after Royal AssentThe formal approval needed after a bill passes Parliament before it becomes an Act. The introduced text says this bill would commence the day after Royal Assent if enacted.; the collected APH record lists it as still before the Senate.
Show source excerpts
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A provider of a social media service must ensure all Australian end-users of the service can opt out of receiving recommended content on the service at any time.
Online Safety Amendment (Fix Our Feeds) introduced bill text -
recommended content, on a social media service, is material provided on the service as a result of a system that does either or both of the following: (a) prioritises material provided on the service to end users; (b) makes personalised suggestions
Online Safety Amendment (Fix Our Feeds) introduced bill text -
if a user believes section 104B (outlined in item 5 below) has been contravened, they may make a complaint to the eSafety Commissioner. This item also outlines the rules relating to the investigation of complaints by the Commissioner.
Online Safety Amendment (Fix Our Feeds) explanatory memorandum -
Civil Penalty: The greater of 100,000 penalty units or 10% of the annual turnover of the provider during the period of 12 months ending at the end of the month in which the provider contravened
Online Safety Amendment (Fix Our Feeds) introduced bill text -
All providers of regulated online services are subject to reporting requirements. Large providers are also subject to other minimum obligations.
Online Safety Amendment (Fix Our Feeds) introduced bill text -
The end-user privacy and control obligations of a large provider of a regulated online service are: (a) to ensure that privacy settings for Australian end-users of the service default to maximum privacy protections; and (b) to ensure that Australian end-users of the service can opt out of targeted advertising.
Online Safety Amendment (Fix Our Feeds) introduced bill text -
The whole of this Act The day after this Act receives the Royal Assent.
Online Safety Amendment (Fix Our Feeds) introduced bill text
Context
Broader context for this bill
The bill sits in a wider Australian debate about online safety, platform accountability and the limits of age-based social media restrictions. The Online Safety Act 2021The Commonwealth online safety law that this bill would amend. It gives the eSafety Commissioner powers over several kinds of harmful online content and online services. already gives the eSafety CommissionerAustralia's independent online safety regulator. The bill would add complaint, investigation and enforcement roles for the Commissioner in relation to algorithm opt-outs and large provider duties. powers over severe online abuse and harmful content, and the social media minimum-age framework began on 10 December 2025. Before this bill, government reviews, inquiries and public reporting had already canvassed stronger platform duties, higher penalties and a digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users.. This private senator's billA bill introduced by a senator who is not introducing it as a government minister. APH lists this bill as a private bill sponsored by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. is a specific Greens proposal within that debate: it would add an algorithm opt-out right and a wider set of duties for large regulated online services, but the source bundle does not show that it has passed.
- 2021
Online Safety ActThe Commonwealth online safety law that this bill would amend. It gives the eSafety Commissioner powers over several kinds of harmful online content and online services. establishes eSafetyAustralia's independent online safety regulator. The bill would add complaint, investigation and enforcement roles for the Commissioner in relation to algorithm opt-outs and large provider duties. powers
Departmental material says the Online Safety Act 2021The Commonwealth online safety law that this bill would amend. It gives the eSafety Commissioner powers over several kinds of harmful online content and online services. was introduced to protect Australians from severe online abuse and gives the eSafety CommissionerAustralia's independent online safety regulator. The bill would add complaint, investigation and enforcement roles for the Commissioner in relation to algorithm opt-outs and large provider duties. legal powers across many online services and platforms.
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts ↗ - Apr 2024
Review issues paper examines online harms and regulatory gaps
The statutory review issues paper considered Australia's regulatory approach to online services, penalties, information-gathering powers, global trends and online harms not fully addressed by the Act.
Online Safety Act 2021 Review issues paper ↗ - 13 Nov 2024
Government announces planned digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users.
Collected reporting said the government planned to legislate a digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users. placing responsibility for online safety on technology companies, alongside the under-16 social media ban.
Australian Financial Review ↗ - 03 Feb 2025
Online safety review recommends stronger penalties
Collected reporting on the review said social media companies that failed to protect Australian users could face very large fines under recommended changes to online safety laws.
Australian Financial Review ↗ - 10 Dec 2025
Social media minimum-age framework starts
Departmental material says age-restricted social media platforms must take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from having accounts, following the 2024 amendment Act.
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts ↗ - 01 Apr 2026
Fix Our Feeds bill introduced in the Senate
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young introduced the private senator's billA bill introduced by a senator who is not introducing it as a government minister. APH lists this bill as a private bill sponsored by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. and moved the second reading. The collected APH metadata records the bill as before the Senate.
Parliament of Australia ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 01 Apr 2026
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 01 Apr 2026
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
The collected parliamentary record for this bill contains the sponsor's case for the bill, but not later opposition speeches, committee findings, divisions or amendment outcomes. The main criticisms available in the local bundle are therefore criticisms of the existing policy setting rather than criticism of this bill: Hanson-Young argued that the under-16 social media ban was too narrow, that the government had been slow to deliver a digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users., and that platforms should not control algorithmic feeds without stronger duties and user choice.
This section is conservative because the source bundle does not include a Senate debate from opponents of s1491.
Delayed digital duty of care
The sponsor said the government had promised a digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users. alongside its social media ban but had not yet delivered it, presenting this bill as a way to move that obligation forward.
Age restriction policy questioned in public debate
Collected reporting on Labor's earlier age-restriction legislation said the approach was welcomed by some public health advocates but questioned by technology experts and some educators. That criticism concerns the surrounding policy debate, not a recorded parliamentary criticism of this bill.
Further sources
Votes
Recorded votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Sponsor speech Supports
Sarah Hanson-Young
Sarah Hanson-Young supported the bill as its sponsor, arguing that users should be able to opt out of algorithmic feeds and that large technology companies should face a digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users..
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Greens
1 speaker · 1 support
Greens
1 speaker · 1 support
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Sarah Hanson-Young ★ Sarah Hanson-Young supported the bill as its sponsor, arguing that users should be able to opt out of algorithmic feeds and that large technology companies should face a digital duty of careA proposed set of legal obligations requiring large online service providers to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or detriment to Australian users..
“The 'Fix our Feeds' bill would take Australia one step further to protecting all users by putting them back in control of the content they consume, limiting exposure to harmful content and addictive algorithms.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Status
- Before Senate -- Collected from the APH bill page.
- Originating house
- Senate
- Bill type
- Private senator's bill -- APH lists the bill type as Private and the sponsor as Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
- 01 Apr 2026
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 01 Apr 2026
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.