General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIs anyone else overwhelmed with the plethora of online petitions?
Last edited Mon Apr 29, 2013, 10:50 AM - Edit history (1)
EDIT TO ADD: I think most of us are disgusted by the number of political petitions we receive in the mail from progressive organizations, but I'm also speaking of petitions which target companies, not only politicians.EDIT #2: It seems a lot of people have given up on petitions since these online petition platforms/groups are essentially selling our info when we sign.
Can you envision what the next generation of online petitioning might look like? I hate the idea of having free tools at our disposal yet not taking advantage of the ability to connect and raise our voices in unison in some way.
I happen to be one of those who has seen that petitions DO work, so I'm a fan of online activism in the form of petitions (as well as calling/writing Congress). It can be a gateway to much more direct and necessary activism. It's better than nothing, imho, so long as huge numbers can be gathered to support a petition.
I realize many here feel that's all a waste of time.
For those who don't feel it's a waste of time, do you agree with me that, given the many different petition sites available and being used now, it's like the petitions are being fragmented to the point of being less and less effective?
The idea is to gather as many names as possible to show support, but when those names are divided amongst about a dozen different petition sites, it loses it's impact, imho.
I keep trying to think of a way to deal with this and imagine the next level of online activism to raise our voices in unison.
Anyone else have any ideas or thoughts about this matter?
Regarding petitions, I've thought of essentially curating the top petition sites, searching for duplicate petitions, and posting them so people can choose the one they're most comfortable with, but show on one page the cumulative impact of the petitions about a given topic.
It's as though everything -- even really well-intentioned, necessary efforts like petitions and fundraisers -- is disappearing into the white noise.
RKP5637
(67,104 posts)Buzz Clik
(38,437 posts)a kennedy
(29,647 posts)just not going to respond to any of them.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)Petitions to get companies to do (or stop doing) something can be a very effective way for consumers to get their attention, especially when the petitions themselves garner media coverage as a way to measure support for the issue.
frazzled
(18,402 posts)Whether from progressive organizations, senators, or the DSCC or DNCC I feel are all just covers for donations. As soon as you sign one, a donation page pops up. And you get the sense that they are more interested in your money than in your signature.
I tend to ignore them, even when I strongly favor the cause.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)I tend to trash those, too. I've pretty much unsubscribed from all of them now though.
Citizen petitions -- especially targeted at companies -- are what I tend to pay most attention to, though I sign White House petitions, too.
RKP5637
(67,104 posts)asking for donations ... and even if you give a donation they just keep coming, often even more. The other I am tired of is the DNC. I don't think I'm bothering to continue my membership. I'm always getting letters asking for money. I'll just donate to progressive candidates.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,674 posts)but I doubt many of them have much if any effect, and they will probably become even less effective as they continue to proliferate.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)But they are in danger of being less and less effective as they proliferate, as you said.
Frustrating.
We have so many tools are our disposal (online), but too often create more white noise in our attempt to use them.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,674 posts)so whatever organization sponsored the petition can bug you for donations. People are catching on to this, and many might be less likely to sign a petition for that reason. I rarely sign online petitions any more because I get too much junk money-soliciting email already.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)These petition sites are monetizing by selling to nonprofits. Not cool.
I completely agree.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)Last edited Mon Apr 29, 2013, 11:29 AM - Edit history (1)
Some of them are kind of goofy. I don't sign as many as I used too.
edit to add - I don't tend to sign petitions targeting corporations. The last one I signed was a Chic Fil A one.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)When you sign a petition that requires your email or physical address, you are really only signing up for a mailing list where you will be begged for money somewhere down the line.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)selling the names/addresses to nonprofits as a way to generate revenue.
I don't like that trend either.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)I think I know what you mean, the same thing with other causes like free-trade coffee or ending sweatshops: instead of one cohesive united movement, there are dozens or hundreds of organizations or websites trying to do the same thing but, really, competing with each other and weakening what would be a stronger message if united.
What if there was a website that posted top petitions and for each cause listed the top five, most responded to petitions.
Add to that some criteria, qualifications, maybe with symbols or scores, thumbs up or down or similar, about the petitioning body's credentials.
Good things: not associated with a political party, not associated with a corporation, no popups for donations, links to legitimate sources of information. (high score)
Bad things: Pop-ups, ties to parties or businesses, no links to information, push-polling and hyperbole.
Now, all of these things being equal, the top of the five listed for any single cause or movement would earn that spot for having the greatest number of signatures.
Thus, the objective would be that people sign that one first, or that one only, then move on to the next cause.
That's all I got.
I know what you mean, it would be good to find some way to make our petitions more impactful.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)Yes, a clearinghouse.
You wrote:
"I think I know what you mean, the same thing with other causes like free-trade coffee or ending sweatshops: instead of one cohesive united movement, there are dozens or hundreds of organizations or websites trying to do the same thing but, really, competing with each other and weakening what would be a stronger message if united."
Thank you! You expressed it much better than I. That's exactly what I was trying to say, that the fracturing/fragmentation of the effort is weakening the message.
I think I have the structure to create such a clearinghouse. That's the only thing I've come up with thus far, but it's certainly not ideal. It doesn't create the unified voice.
ALTHOUGH....I found a really cool new tool which does make use of FB and twitter to do just that: amplify our voices.
https://www.thunderclap.it/ (they may have negatives involved as well; not sure yet)
Maybe focusing on the top 10 or so petitions each week at a clearinghouse site, and creating a corresponding Thunderclap to go along with the page/issue to provide more visibility is a thought?
Hmmm..........
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)And it would, to be successful, need to use algorithms and thus "run itself", and be tied to facebook and twitter, etal.
I guess thunderclap manages to sort out less popular movements, what I envisioned would present (for example) the four or five petitions competing for the same purpose and allow viewers to vote up the most legitimate one and concentrate efforts there.
They could, of course, sign all the petitions but the objective would be to force the best to rise to the top and, hopefully, the other competitors might somehow follow suit and put their strength behind the top one.
And the clearinghouse, at first, might do this with just the top five or ten causes.
But what I'm describing is pretty linear and old-school and the truth is that today things are far more sophisticated with the Internet so somebody out there will be able to do a "thunderclap" type thing that would be really powerful.
I'd love to see something come of this and I'll bet you'll help make it happen.
If I can help, let me know!
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)many of these petition sites are selling data to nonprofit partners as a way to monetize their platforms.
That's not good. I'm going to research who ISN'T selling data and go from there.
Thanks, NYC_SKP!
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Or put them out of the running entirely.
Excellent consideration.
Good luck!
MineralMan
(146,286 posts)personal data collection systems. I simply refuse to use them.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)if there were a petition site which did NOT monetize by selling users' info, I wonder if people would be more inclined to use them...especially private sector-related petitions?
Maybe I should focus on finding a petition platform that has no strings attached (i.e., they aren't selling our info and they aren't owned by monied interests)?
MineralMan
(146,286 posts)Those that get signed by numbers of people in the six figures are probably worthwhile, but they're very rare. The White House petition site is not commercial, but most of the petitions there are misdirected and deal with issues that the Executive Branch cannot change without congressional action. So, those are really wasted.
Frankly, I feel that if everyone who signs multiple petitions would actively encourage people who are Democrats to go and vote, that would be far more effective. The danger with petitions is that people confuse signing them with activism. Petition signing isn't activism. It's far more passive in nature.
"There, I signed these petitions. My work is done."
So, except for petitions to recall elected officials, petitions that get candidates on primary ballots, and petitions to put initiatives on the ballot, I'm not really excited about them. They're too easy to ignore.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)if anyone down there cares.
Right now, I'm thinking that if a recognized organization does a petition drive it might be noticed, but the internet petitions would be taken no more seriously than mass emails.
For Congress, the best way I know of is to use the message function on their websites.
(Or write them a big check.)
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)(Tim Bishop NY1) and he said the plethora of internet petitions is pretty well useless and ignored down there.
Best way is to pick up the phone and leave a message, or write a letter/use the message box on the website. You know, something that involves some small amount of... effort.
Or, meet him at local meetings and ask the questions.
Tonight's local meeting, btw, was about the pending sale of Plum Island and moving the animal disease research to Kansas. Seems it was one asshole in the Bush administration who pushed this and it then gained a life of its own. Imagine the genius of moving hoof and mouth disease research from an island off Connecticut to the center of cow country. And tornadoes.
Yeah, nobody around here thought it was a good idea either and the good congressman has been fighting it to no avail, even though the locals in Kansas also think the idea sucks. No amount of jobs is worth that amount of danger, but the local pols (both parties) are looking at the raw numbers and campaign contributions from construction firms and the Farm Bureau.
Politics can really suck sometimes.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)Thanks for asking and coming back to share the feedback.
gejohnston
(17,502 posts)apathetic. Not by much, but still better.
Laurian
(2,593 posts)beginning, I think they might have been useful in reflecting people's interests and concerns. Now, there are so many that none are given much credence.
I rarely respond anymore.
MadrasT
(7,237 posts)I rarely did it anyway, because I think they are basically a form of armchair "activism" that is nearly useless.
On top of that, I was endlessly spammed by those sites after the fact.
undeterred
(34,658 posts)There are a few really good, serious ones and tons of completely ridiculous petitions - but people sign them.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)Brilliant idea, imho.
But, as with everything, there are so many ridiculous, frivolous ones as well.
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)I like that they, as a community, select the petitions and thus can put a lot of energy behind the ones selected, rather than allowing petitions to be created by anyone and everyone.
Yet I do think they, like so many others, sell data to their partners. Then again, maybe they don't. You can read their TOS and see what you think.
Avaaz is HUGE...mainly international efforts rather than US-based petitions.
http://www.avaaz.org/en/about.php
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Like WWF and Greenpeace in the efforts to end Amazon logging:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/highlights.php/?aboutus#highlights_70
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)Thanks for checking it out.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)Good one.