The United States has raised concerns about Australia’s proposed laws that would allow users to opt out of social media algorithms, describing the measure as a potential risk to "protected speech." Under Australia’s draft digital duty of care laws, technology companies could face heavy fines if they do not offer users the option to disable algorithms designed to protect them from harmful content. In a rare public response, the U.S. embassy in Canberra expressed "serious concerns" about how the laws might be enforced, warning that vague definitions of "harm" could lead to "viewpoint-based censorship." The U.S. has asked Australia to clarify how "harm" and "risks" would be defined to ensure they do not suppress free expression. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended the legislation, stating it is not about giving governments more power but about returning control to individuals over the content they see online. The U.S. also warned that the proposed laws could reduce the visibility of independent journalists or other voices that discuss sensitive or controversial topics, if technology companies are forced to "pre-emptively demote" such content. Additionally, the U.S. expressed concerns that mandated changes to platform design could lead to rigid, uniform requirements for tech firms, potentially affecting users beyond Australia. This could influence what users see, say, and hear globally, not just within Australia. Another concern raised by the U.S. was that the proposed laws might harm Australia’s reputation as a place that supports innovation. The criticism comes as Albanese was visiting the U.S. to speak at the United Nations General Assembly about Australia’s technology policies. In response to the criticism, Albanese reiterated that the laws are not about government overreach. "It's not about giving government control," he said. "It's about giving people back control over what they receive on their devices." Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump used his speech at the UN to downplay concerns about artificial intelligence, rejecting calls for regulatory guardrails and arguing that AI should be called "super intelligence" instead of "artificial intelligence," saying the term "artificial" makes it sound fake. This latest move by Australia to protect its online users from harmful content follows a similar policy introduced last December, which banned children under 16 from using social media platforms.