Rob Galluzzo Doesn’t Enter Battles He Doesn't Think He Can Win

Social media is a wonderful tool. 

In recent years, we’ve seen social media take over the way we communicate with each other. It’s a place to share passions, and all of life’s good bits. It’s where brands can engage with consumers in ways completely different to traditional advertising. It’s where audiences can feel a part of the media that they love. 

But it can also be a bit scary, especially for young people. The downside of all the wonder is the inability to provide a completely safe space. Profiles are made to showcase the very best of a person's life, not all the crap that goes on behind the scenes, which can lead to harmful comparisons, and people not feeling good enough. Then there’s the bullying that happens behind the screen.

Rob Galluzzo said, “I never enter a battle that I don’t think I can win.”

Rob has launched an initiative called 36 months with Australian radio star Michael "Wippa" Wipfli. The aim of this initiative is to raise the sign up age for social media accounts from 13 to 16. The 36 months between the ages 13 to 16 are crucial, they are formative, and they are being damaged by having an online persona before gaining the understanding of who you are as a person first. 

For those of us who are a part of the Millennial and older Gen Z categories, we grew up within what could be described as the wild west of social media. Everything was brand new, there weren’t many rules, and everyone was on the same path of discovery. 

Now, however, it is more important than ever to relay all of this information to the younger generations to ensure that they are safe online. Rob mentioned the importance of learning internet literacy from a young age. 

“Social media has grown up with those who started the trend. Social media is now an adult. It’s no longer run by very smart teenagers, or young adults in university,” he said. 

Rob went on to explain the notion of 36 months. Not only is it’s aim to ‘get back’ the 36 months between the ages of 13-16, but also the further the education surrounding being online, reading the terms and conditions, and understanding that signing up to a site means more than just having a profile. 

“We know that there’s going to be a void. What are we going to do to build opportunities for Australian families to better connect? What are we going to do? We’ve already had talks with brands that want to help support this within school. Conversations with school boards and schools that have reached out to us. Phase two certainly encompasses education,” he said. 

What started off as a conversation between two concerned fathers has turned into over 100,000 signatures of support, countless media stories, government officials and local Australian celebrities publicly stating their support. 

“We started by asking ‘what is a realistic solution?’. It’s important to know that we aren’t anti-social media. It’s simply raising the age for account access,” Rob reiterated. 

Along with the initiative and petition, the 36 month team is calling out for those in support of the cause to show off a picture of their 13 year old self on instagram. It’s easy to forget how young 13 truly is, and this initiative serves as a worthy reminder. 

“Give them the time to work out who they are, before the world works out who they are,” Rob concluded. 

To find more about 36 Months and the work being done, click here.