Success of online petitions
 

It's well worth reading the story of how Avaaz stopped Murdoch. It gives a bit of hope that other such corruption can also be stopped.

Murdoch Campaign Report

I think the ease of signing the petitions, ie just giving your email address, has helped a lot. Another one that makes it easy to support online campaigns is Human Rights First. Just sign up with your email and receive brief messages from time to time with a link to the petition so you can add your voice. I always find the petitions fit with my sense of fair play and justice.

Re: Success of online petitions
 

Absolute drivel. The only thing that has stopped Murdoch taking full control of BSkyB is the hacking scandal. Forget your on-line petitions; in this case, totally irrelevant.

Re: Success of online petitions
 

I once started a petition to #10 and got 62273 signatures.
It did little to prevent the EU from implementing restrictions to the availability of herbal medicines. (some of which will soon disappear from store shelves as stocks cannot be replenished)

One of the first things this government did was to suspend the online facility to petition #10, which reflects their contempt of public opinion.

Re: Success of online petitions
 

It can be very depressing when petitions seem to have no effect at all. It's amazing that you got so many signatures, Margaret, you must have put a lot of effort into it. I've been knocked back many times in the past, so basically have given up with petitions too. However, in the Murdoch case Avaaz are saying that the petitions and messages caused a 4 month delay, then their poll and demos raised public awareness, their solicitors letters also had an effect, backing Hunt into a corner, plus their continuous pressure through the media and petitions finally helped gain a successful outcome. So without their other activities perhaps petitions would have been a waste of time, but combined with other activities they have been helpful I think by showing the general public that lots of people were concerned.

So I don't think petitions are absolute drivel even if they are treated with contempt. They can help and if it is easy to support one, ie one click to the page and one click to submit the message, then I reckon it helps bring more people into the equation.

Re: Success of online petitions
 

spot on T

Re: Success of online petitions
 

I always doubted the effectiveness of the online petitions for No:10 Downing St.
It struck me of another cynical ploy to keep us quiet. After all if Tony Blair really listened to the people of this country, then maybe we would not be in this mess.
So I for one will not be mourning it's passing, far from the current government not listening, I don't think any government has listened.
There is a way to be heard, go and see your MP.
I think Avvaz are claiming victory, but I cannot truely see how they succeeded where others have failed, more justof blind luck and claiming success.

Re: Success of online petitions
 

Totally agree Tealeaf, another thing is if you give your Email address will mean more spam in your spam box

Re: Success of online petitions
 

Perhaps you should consider using an E-alias. Construct a fake E-mail account and use that to vote with. It's worked for me for years. It's a genuine vote, but it can't be traced to you personaly. Why not try it?

Re: Success of online petitions
 

It depends where you leave your email address, Jaysay. Petitions for glamorous nurses will lead to spam but I've never had an extra load of spam from Avaaz or Human Rights First.

Re: Success of online petitions
 

Neither have I, but there again I've never had any inkling to contribute;)

Re: Success of online petitions
 

Complete waste of time in my opinions as are facebook ones. All that happens is that people sign up just for the sake of it often without a care for the subject. You even get people from other countries sticking the name down.

Re: Success of online petitions
 

To be honest I've thought that about facebook itself for a while now, am contemplating closing my account, especially with what happened a couple of weeks ago, orchestrated by some brain dead moron

Re: Success of online petitions
 

Is this why when I pressed the link that you had put up on FB round about that time, I was suddenly confronted by pics of nubile young ladies in advanced states of undress?

Mrs H happened to be standing behind me at the time and, believe me, I had a lot of explaining to do! :eek:

Re: Success of online petitions
 

the spugster had the same .. tho it was me & slinks who caught it and i warned him .. hes now closed his account .. .he's had enough its the second time hes been hacked ....

Re: Success of online petitions
 

As I did when I saw my daughter later that day, the first I knew about that link I supposedly posted was about 10.15pm when accyman rang me to tell me about it, to say I was furious was an understatement Wyn. The thing is I have never posted anything on facebook except comments on other peoples posts, I didn't even know how to remove it until accyman showed me the next day and then beefed up my settings, but even so, I am actually thinking of cancelling the account, so it looks like the a***hole who decided it was fun to **** about with somebody else life could have won, mainly because I can't be bothered trying to find out who it was, which is very luck for him (no chance of it being a woman) because he would have been sampling hospital food for a long time:mad::mad::mad: