Australia Promotes “Digital Duty Of Care” Legislation

This is a policy and technology story with no connection to home energy upgrades, so there's nothing here that affects decisions about insulation, heat pumps, or rebates. Still, here's what happened: Australia is moving forward with legislation called "My Feed, My Way" that would let social media users over 16 turn off the algorithms that choose what shows up in their feeds. If they opt out, they'd only see posts from accounts they actually follow. Platforms that don't comply could face fines over A$100 million. A related "digital duty of care" law would require social media, apps, games, and AI chatbots to protect users under 18 from specific harms, including pornography, content promoting eating disorders, misogynistic content, and material that glorifies dangerous stunts or causes serious mental health harm.

Separately, Australia is also tightening enforcement of an existing rule that bars children under 16 from having social media accounts. A study found the age check has largely failed so far, with most under-16 users still on these platforms months later. New amendments would give the country's online safety regulator stronger power to demand documents from tech companies and other firms involved in age verification, and would double the maximum fine for violations to about A$99 million.

None of this touches home energy programs, weatherization funding, or rebate rules. It's simply a look at how one country is trying to regulate how tech platforms operate.