Businesses and not-for-profit organisations already face challenges reaching new audiences organically on social media. The Australian Government’s proposed ‘My Feed, My Way’ initiative could make this more difficult and potentially increase the pressure to pay for boosted posts and advertising.
‘My Feed, My Way’ forms part of the proposed Digital Duty of Care, which would require digital service providers to take greater responsibility for providing safer online environments.
Under the initiative, social media platforms would be required to give users a choice. People could opt in to a feed containing personalised content recommended by an algorithm, or opt out and primarily see content from the friends, creators and accounts they have chosen to follow.
The proposal is principally about online safety and giving users greater control over what they see. However, it could also affect how businesses and NFPs reach customers, supporters, volunteers and donors.
Draft legislation was released for targeted consultation on 8 September 2026, ahead of its proposed introduction to Parliament. The framework is not yet final, and its practical effect will depend on the legislation ultimately introduced and how individual platforms implement it.
What could change for your organisation?
Recommendation algorithms allow an organic post from a business or community organisation to appear in the feed of someone who does not already follow the account.
If more people opt out of personalised recommendations, organisations may find it harder to reach new audiences organically. Their posts could still reach existing followers, but attracting new customers, supporters, volunteers and donors may become more difficult without paid promotion.
This could make genuine followers more valuable. An engaged community that has actively chosen to hear from an organisation is likely to be more useful than a much larger but disconnected audience.
Could this drive more paid advertising?
Potentially, yes.
If organic posts are less likely to be discovered by people who do not already follow an organisation, businesses and NFPs may become more reliant on boosted posts and paid campaigns.
In effect, organisations could have to pay for some of the exposure that recommendation algorithms currently provide organically. If more advertisers compete for the same audiences, this could also place upward pressure on campaign costs.
However, this is a possible consequence rather than a confirmed outcome. It is not yet clear whether advertising will operate differently for users who choose a non-personalised feed.
What does this mean for businesses that boost posts?
A boosted post is different from an organic recommendation. Once boosted, the post becomes an advertisement, and the business pays Meta to deliver it to a selected audience.
The information currently available does not indicate that people who opt out of recommended content will stop seeing advertising. However, the effect on the targeting and delivery of advertisements has not yet been confirmed.
Businesses should not respond by boosting every post. Instead, they should be selective about what they promote and clear about the result they want.
Campaign performance should be measured through enquiries, registrations, sales and website actions, rather than reach and reactions alone. Meta Ads Manager provides more control and measurement options than simply boosting a post from a Facebook or Instagram page.
What does this mean for NFP fundraising?
Boosted posts and paid campaigns can help fundraising appeals reach people beyond an NFP’s existing supporter base.
If organic discovery declines, smaller organisations may become more dependent on paid promotion while competing with businesses and larger charities for attention. This could make it more expensive to attract new donors.
NFPs should continue using paid social media where it produces results, but campaigns should be assessed against donations generated rather than likes, reactions or reach. A strong appeal, an effective donation page and reliable conversion tracking will become increasingly important.
Building direct relationships through email lists, websites and supporter databases can also reduce reliance on social media platforms.
What should organisations do now?
There is no reason to stop boosting posts or running social media advertising. The proposal is not yet final, and its effect on paid advertising remains unclear.
Businesses and NFPs can prepare by:
- giving people a clear reason to follow their accounts or join their email lists
- publishing useful information and credible stories that keep audiences engaged
- setting a specific objective before boosting a post
- measuring enquiries, registrations, sales or donations rather than reach alone
- testing different messages, audiences and campaign formats
- maintaining an effective website or donation landing page
- building customer, subscriber and supporter databases
- avoiding overreliance on any single platform.
‘My Feed, My Way’ is designed to give users greater control over their social media experience. For organisations, it is also a reminder that access to an audience should never be taken for granted.
Those best placed to manage future changes will be the organisations that use social media strategically while continuing to build direct, trusted relationships with the people they want to reach.
Frequently asked questions
Will ‘My Feed, My Way’ stop people seeing advertisements?
Not necessarily. The proposal focuses on recommended content rather than advertising. Its effect on the targeting and delivery of paid advertisements has not yet been confirmed.
Will organisations need to advertise more?
Possibly. If organic discovery declines, businesses and NFPs may use paid promotion more frequently to reach people who do not already follow them. Organisations should still advertise selectively and measure meaningful results.