What We’re Reading: What If You Could Opt Out of Algorithms?

Lawmakers in Australia began drafting rules that would hand everyday people a clear choice on their phones. Instead of feeds filled only by engagement-driven algorithms, users could select posts solely from accounts they follow in order. The proposal follows a December decision that made Australia the first nation to bar anyone under sixteen from accounts on major platforms. The same bill would block young users from material that encourages risky actions or undermines mental health. Will Doig, an editor at Reasons to Be Cheerful, noted the change gives individuals authority over what appears before them. The measure remains under review, yet it marks a shift away from platforms that decide content placement without user input. Across the ocean another long-standing practice faced correction. The United Nations adopted a resolution urging countries to replace the centuries-old Mercator projection with the Equal Earth map. The older layout, first published in 1569, stretches landmasses near the poles and shrinks regions near the equator. Togo led the effort, pointing out that the distortion had shaped how generations viewed the relative importance of different parts of the world. The new map keeps area proportions accurate, so Africa appears at its actual size rather than reduced. Michaela Haas, another editor, observed that only one country voted against the updated standard. Most governments now plan to update school materials and official publications over the coming years. Both developments reached the staff at Reasons to Be Cheerful during the same week. One concerns the screens people carry every day; the other concerns the images used to teach geography. Each step gives users and learners more direct say over the information presented to them.