The 36 Months campaign has become the world’s largest social media age limit petition on Change.org with over 124,000 signatures as founders prepare to meet with the Prime minister on Thursday 7 November in Canberra.
36 Months is a social change initiative to amend legislation to raise the minimum age Australian teenagers can sign up for social media accounts from 13 to 16.
In less than six months, 36 Months’ viral campaign, spearheaded by Nova’s Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli and Rob Galluzzo, founder of FINCH, has brought together teachers, parents, teenagers and health experts, as well as public figures such as Megan Gale, Guy Sebastian and Zoë Foster-Blake. The campaign has also attracted the bipartisan support of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
“The overwhelming support on Change.org for 36 Months’ petition highlights how deeply this issue resonates with Australians. We’re proud to be a part of the crucial conversation about how best to protect young people in the digital age, and it’s been inspiring to see people from all around the world come to Change.org to share their voice on the issue, with 36 Months’ campaign at the forefront,” said Ben Rattray, Change.org founder and CEO.
“For 36 Months to be the biggest Change.org petition in the world advocating for a safer environment online for our kids, sends a clear message from Australian families to the government: we need to raise the minimum age for social media to 16, not 15, not 14 – make it 16. We’re now ready to take this petition to the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and give him the opportunity to be a world leader in social media regulation,” said Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, Nova.
