The short version
- Social services minister Tanya Plibersek stated that algorithms are actively promoting misogynistic content to young males within minutes of account creation.
- The government is considering allowing users to choose whether to engage with recommender systems, a move supported by advocacy groups like Teach Us Consent.
- Proposed measures include banning depictions of strangulation in pornography, mirroring recent legislative actions taken by the United Kingdom.
The Australian government is advancing a new regulatory framework aimed at reducing sexual violence among teenagers by targeting the digital environments where such behaviors are increasingly normalized. Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek confirmed that officials are evaluating two primary mechanisms: allowing users to opt in or out of social media algorithms and implementing bans on pornography that depicts strangulation or suffocation. These considerations form a central part of the administration’s second action plan designed to end family, domestic, and sexual violence against women and children.
The urgency of these proposals follows the recent death of a sixteen-year-old girl in Sydney, who died after a suspected act of sexual strangulation. Reports indicate the teenager lost consciousness due to asphyxiation during intercourse, a practice often referred to as choking. While no arrests have been made in connection with this specific tragedy, officials point to it as evidence of a broader and deadly trend. Plibersek emphasized that social media platforms are playing a significant role in escalating these incidents by exposing young people to harmful content.
According to the minister, the architecture of current social media platforms is deliberately designed to feed violent and misogynistic material to young male users. She cited data suggesting that a boy setting up an account today will encounter such content within an average of twenty-three minutes. Plibersek described this rapid exposure as a deliberate choice by technology companies that distorts young men’s understanding of healthy relationships. This normalization of violence, she argued, directly correlates with the rising prevalence of strangulation in sexual encounters among youth.
Statistics presented by the minister highlight the scale of the issue, noting that sixty percent of young people now report experiencing strangulation during a sexual encounter. Plibersek characterized this behavior as pervasive, widespread, and lethal. She asserted that the normalization of these acts is not coincidental but rather the result of algorithmic systems that prioritize engagement over safety. The government views these digital influences as critical factors in the deterioration of relationship norms among adolescents.
In response to these concerns, the administration is collaborating with Chanel Contos’s organization, Teach Us Consent, which has campaigned for algorithms to be opt-in only. Plibersek indicated that the government is open to designing systems where users must actively choose to engage with recommender algorithms that have been linked to harm. This approach would shift the default setting from passive exposure to active consent, potentially reducing the volume of violent content seen by younger demographics.
The proposed measures also draw inspiration from international precedents, particularly recent legislation in the United Kingdom that bans depictions of strangulation and suffocation in pornography. Australian officials are closely examining these moves as they refine their own regulatory strategy. Additionally, the government is monitoring legal developments in the United States, including a significant case involving Meta, to understand how other jurisdictions are holding tech companies accountable for the content they distribute.
These new initiatives build upon existing legislation that banned social media use for individuals under sixteen, which took effect in December. However, Plibersek has previously acknowledged that children have found ways to circumvent these age restrictions. To address this loophole and broader safety concerns, Labor is preparing to consult on a digital duty of care bill. This legislation would place the responsibility on technology firms, including artificial intelligence developers, to ensure their platforms are safe for all users before release.
Beyond social media algorithms, the government is also addressing emerging technologies such as camera-equipped smartglasses. Plibersek expressed serious concerns about the potential for these devices to be used for furtive filming, particularly during sexual encounters, which could then be leveraged for blackmail or public distribution. The Attorney-General has directed the privacy commissioner to investigate these risks, and a second tranche of privacy reforms is expected soon to provide further legal safeguards against such abuses.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗Australia could make social media algorithms optional and follow UK ban on pornography depicting strangulation
