Chanel Contos, the CEO of Teach Us Consent, is raising concerns that major technology companies may circumvent efforts to regulate harmful social media algorithms. During her upcoming address at the National Press Club, she will advocate for an “opt-in” model for algorithmic feeds.
The federal government is currently contemplating measures to enhance user control over online content, with draft legislation for a Digital Duty of Care expected to be released later this month. Contos argues that without an opt-in requirement, it would be “too easy” for tech giants to exploit weaker regulatory measures.
In her speech scheduled for Wednesday in Canberra, Contos will highlight the dangers posed by these algorithms, which she claims expose youth to misogynistic “manosphere” content and contribute to rising instances of sexual violence in Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed support for giving Australians more authority over their online content but has not yet endorsed Contos’s opt-in proposal.
“In light of community concerns regarding the impact of algorithms, we are exploring options to empower individuals in managing what they encounter on their devices,” Albanese stated.
According to an advanced preview of her speech obtained by ABC, Contos will assert that while an opt-out system for algorithms could be a preliminary measure, an opt-in approach would significantly enhance the safety of social media use for adolescents and incorporate the principle of affirmative consent into digital interactions. “The success of any reform will depend on its specifics,” she emphasized.
Algorithms are automated systems employed by social media platforms to curate the order and type of content users see, based on their activities and interests. Contos, who launched the “fix our feeds” initiative in December, is calling for mandatory opt-in algorithms as part of a broader strategy to protect young users.
Labor has shown interest in addressing this matter as it seeks to complement existing regulations that prevent individuals under 16 from maintaining social media accounts. Communications Minister Anika Wells remarked that the “deliberately opaque” nature of algorithmic recommendation systems has enabled social media companies to shape Australian culture, both positively and negatively. “Online harm has tangible consequences,” she said. “To mitigate harm, we must rectify the platforms that promote it.”
Wells is working on a Digital Duty of Care that would establish a legal responsibility for online platforms to actively identify and mitigate foreseeable risks to users, shifting from the current reliance on user reports after incidents occur. An exposure draft of this legislation is anticipated later this month, with Contos emphasizing the critical nature of these reforms for their success.
In her address, Contos will connect the harm caused by algorithms to the challenges schools face in teaching consent to young students, arguing that annual classes have limited effectiveness in altering the behaviors that contribute to the culture of sexual violence in educational settings. She asserts that while schools attempt to instill positive values, an “addictive content-producing machine” simultaneously sends conflicting messages to teenagers.
Contos will explain that the “manosphere” is not just a term for communities advocating male supremacy, but also a lucrative enterprise supported by algorithms. Young men seeking community or self-improvement are often targeted with content that unfairly attributes their challenges to women.
She will note that this content reinforces harmful and outdated gender stereotypes, suggesting that women should not venture out without a male companion or have careers. “Boys and men have legitimate concerns about their economic circumstances and personal relationships,” she will argue. “Unfortunately, an industry has capitalized on these concerns, with misogyny at its core.”
Contos will illustrate how young men, while engaging with seemingly innocuous fitness or motivational content, are quickly exposed to messages that equate emotional control, material success, and dominance—especially over women—with male identity. Research indicates that men subscribing to such beliefs are significantly more likely to engage in binge drinking, problematic gambling, and experience suicidal thoughts, as well as being far more likely to engage in domestic violence, according to the Man Box study.
