‘I wouldn’t have been mentally able to handle the impact’: Wippa fights to raise social media age limit

Michael “Wippa” Wipfli is campaigning to increase the age at which children are introduced to social media from 13 to 16. Currently, most platforms restrict signups with a date of birth showing the person to be under 13. However, this is easily skirted, and lazily enforced.

The campaign is called 36 Months, representing the three years of crucial development between 13 and 16 that should be spent away from social media. 36 Months advocates, such as Wipfli, want a law passed to enforce this age restriction, much like with cigarettes or alcohol.

Wipfli told Fear & Greed the passing of such a law would be “an investment in the future for our kids”, saying, “at least it would give the power back to the parents. You’d be able to sit there as a parent and say, ‘No, you don’t do that because it’s the same as robbing a bank or, I don’t know, shooting a gun. You don’t do that because it’s illegal, guys.’