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36 Months Addresses UN: Wippa Says Social Media Age Law Is 'Not a Ban' But 'A Buffer'

Sep 2025 🇦🇺 🌐 LBBOnline

In September 2025, 36 Months co-founders Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli and Rob Galluzzo joined Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to speak about Australia's under-16 social media law. Wipfli described the law as 'not a ban' but 'a buffer' — extra time for teenagers to develop before encountering social platforms — while Galluzzo called the reform 'a source of national pride and a global precedent.' European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen responded by signalling the EU would explore a shared 'digital age of majority.' TechKids Foundation cites this address as a documented instance of the campaign's founders using an international diplomatic platform to promote Australia's law and encourage similar measures elsewhere, reported here as the campaign's own framing rather than as independent evidence of any specific health outcome.

147,000-signature petition cited

LBBOnline's report notes the campaign's petition had grown to more than 147,000 signatures by the time of the UN address.

Penalties up to A$49.5 million

The article reports the law, in effect from December 10, 2025, carries penalties of up to $49.5 million for platform breaches.

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CITATION

Connery-Britten, Tess. "36 Months Addresses UN: Wippa Says Social Media Age Law Is 'Not a Ban' But 'A Buffer.'" LBBOnline, September 25, 2025. https://www.lbbonline.com/news/36-months-addresses-un-in-new-york

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