United Kingdom, Sept. 23 -- The US has criticised Australia's plans to give social media users the option to turn off algorithm-driven recommendations, warning the proposed laws could amount to "censorship of protected speech".

Under Australia's draft digital duty of care legislation, platforms could face fines of up to A$100 million if they fail to offer users an option to opt out of algorithms that personalise the content they see.

The proposal is intended to reduce exposure to harmful material, including content linked to eating disorders, bullying and other forms of psychological harm.

In a submission to the Australian government, the US embassy in Canberra said it had "serious concerns" about the proposals.

It warned that allowin...