The Australian government is considering allowing users to opt in or opt out of social media algorithms and is examining a recent UK ban on depictions of strangulation and suffocation in pornography, according to social services minister Tanya Plibersek.
Minister links algorithms to rise in sexual violence
Plibersek told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday that social media was playing a huge role in the increase in sexual violence among teenagers and choking. She confirmed the options were being considered as the government develops its second action plan to end family and domestic violence against women and children.
Plibersek said social media algorithms are deliberately feeding boys and men violent content and normalising strangulation during sex. She cited that a young boy setting up a social media account in Australia today would be fed misogynistic, violent content within an average of 23 minutes.
"That is a deliberate decision of the social media companies that is wrecking our young boys, giving them all of the wrong ideas about what healthy relationships look like," Plibersek said.
Statistics and campaign for opt-in algorithms
Plibersek noted that 60% of young people now report experiencing strangulation during a sexual encounter. "It is no coincidence... It is pervasive and widespread and deadly, and it's being fed to our young people and normalised," she said.
Chanel Contos's Teach Us Consent group has campaigned for algorithms to be opt-in only on social media. Plibersek said the government was working with the group and considering how to potentially design an opt-in or opt-out system for algorithms.
"We're absolutely up for work on algorithms. Opting in to those recommender algorithms that are causing so much harm, opting in or opting out," she said.
UK ban and digital duty of care
Plibersek also mentioned the government is looking closely at the recent Meta case in the US and the UK government's moves to prevent the depiction of strangulation and suffocation in pornography. These are considerations for the next action plan on family domestic and sexual violence.
The government has already legislated a ban on social media for under-16s, which took effect in December, and introduced age-verification for pornography. However, Plibersek has previously conceded children could easily dodge the new rules.
Labor will soon begin consultation on a digital duty of care bill that would put the onus on tech companies, including AI companies, to make online spaces safer for all users.
Concerns over smartglasses and privacy
Plibersek said the digital duty of care legislation and a second round of privacy reforms could help tackle camera-equipped smartglasses, which she said she had serious concerns about. She noted the Attorney-General has asked the privacy commissioner to look specifically at these glasses.
"Tech companies should know that their products are safe and make them safe before they release them on to an unsuspecting public," Plibersek said. She expressed concern about the potential for the glasses to be used to furtively film, including during sexual encounters, for blackmail purposes.
