The use of petitions used to make changes have been around from the very beginning of our country. An individual, or group of individuals who have an idea for change, can get other like-minded individuals to sign a petition. When there is a sufficient number of confirmed signatures, the petition is submitted to the agency or group capable of making the change. And, there have been successful petitions and those that never get off of the ground. And, it is no surprise that we now have online petitions that are capable of achieving large numbers of names as opposed to local or regional efforts by the average citizen. But, as with anything on the internet, there are some cautions and concerns. Most of the online sites are legitimate locations where social change can take place with enough support. In fact, our own government has a site for individuals to start a petition on virtually any subject. There is a threshold number required before it is moved up the chain, but it is available here. One example is a group of 2nd amendment activists who want the government to try Senator Dianne Feinstein for treason for her intended introduction of a bill next year to ban assault weapon sales. So far, there are in excess of 5000 "like minded" individuals. (Please see my post on the Mental Health page for some commentary on the recent shooting in Connecticut).
There are several online petition sites currently available including, Avaaz, 38 Degrees, and Change.org. But, there are many questions regarding the site Change.org. The first concern is that it is a "for profit" site. They accept payment from groups like Amnesty International and the Humane Society to promote their interests. While there is nothing new about a site making money, it should be a dot com and not a dot org which suggests a neutral site. They trumpet success with making changes in fees at the Bank of America and Verizon, but it appears that it was the customers who contacted these companies and forced the changes, and not Change.org.
But the more troubling aspect of this site is what happens with the email addresses provided by the petitioners.While ostensibly the patrons who log in are protected, those who are not may be at risk. No one seems to know what happens to the supplied information. But, rather than rewriting available information, the entry at Wikipedia is here. If you have concerns as I do, please research the sites before supporting what may be another slippery slope. Ken.
There are several online petition sites currently available including, Avaaz, 38 Degrees, and Change.org. But, there are many questions regarding the site Change.org. The first concern is that it is a "for profit" site. They accept payment from groups like Amnesty International and the Humane Society to promote their interests. While there is nothing new about a site making money, it should be a dot com and not a dot org which suggests a neutral site. They trumpet success with making changes in fees at the Bank of America and Verizon, but it appears that it was the customers who contacted these companies and forced the changes, and not Change.org.
But the more troubling aspect of this site is what happens with the email addresses provided by the petitioners.While ostensibly the patrons who log in are protected, those who are not may be at risk. No one seems to know what happens to the supplied information. But, rather than rewriting available information, the entry at Wikipedia is here. If you have concerns as I do, please research the sites before supporting what may be another slippery slope. Ken.
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