Ten tips to help you write better petitions on the internet.
Have you included all the information?
Often I find online petitions are badly worded. What is it you actually want? While I might agree with the sentiment of “Allow returns of concert tickets and penalize touts to stop people making a profit from music fans” I will not support “stop touts” which does not give me any information.
If it is a petition against another country, have you taken into account the customs and society?
I have received emails from people asking me to stop people in India killing tigers, stop the caste system in India and stop whaling in Japan. While you may feel these are worthy aims, you are asking people to turn against their own culture in favour of what we feel is right. In the case of the tigers, you are asking people to value animal life over human life. Have you considered that the country doing things you object to may well think some of the things you do every day are bizarre or even taboo.
If the petition is aimed at a company, does it make any sense for them to respond?
I have been linked to petitions about stopping the closure of the Astoria, a famous venue in London, and asking for Star Trek Enterprise to not be cancelled. In both cases, would it make financial sense for the companies to change their minds? In the Trek case, more people signed the petition than ever watched the show. If people wanted to make a difference, they should have watched. But they didn't, because everyone hated the show but wanted to ensure the future of Trek. Thus, “saving” the show was far from realistic. With the Astoria petition, many people signed who had never even visited London. Realistically, their views were not likely to be taken seriously. Often by the time you have heard about a business decision it has already been made. Be logical and suggest an alternative if you want to overturn it.
Include links to relevant information
I have received invitations to sign petitions on issues I know nothing about. Some relevant information will allow readers to make an informed decision.
Have you used overly emotive or abusive language?
One thing that puts me right off an issue is followers being overly abusive or emotive. I have been told, in an email, that I am a **** if I don't sign. In fact, that was the title of the email. Equally, terms like “evil” or insults and slurs will just convince readers that the person who started the petition is childish. Which of the following is more effective: “stop a nuclear power station being built next to schools” or “stop evil toxic warmongers from killing our defenceless children!!!!”? People may even think the latter is a joke.
Make sure you read through the responses
There is a man called Optimus Prime, but if you find more than one of them has signed, along with Micky Mouse and Daffy Duck, chances are your petition will look far from professional. It is better to lose a few numbers than to invalidate the whole petition.
Have you offered the opportunity to sign up and help?
If you put in an option that allows people who feel strongly to help in campaigning, you can find that you have a diverse number of people to join the team. Different skills can be offered, as well as a wide geographical base. You can use these people in real life, not just as a signature.
Is the format appropriate?
If I receive an email petition where you add your name to the bottom, I tend to assume it is a hoax. How can it possibly work with hundreds of number 58s? Surely it's confusing to compile when it returns. There are numerous sites, such as Petition Spot which can sort the names into a usable format. Also consider whether an online format is appropriate. If it is a local issue, will signatures from the other side of the world help?
Have you considered possible outcomes?
If you achieve your aims, what will happen? If you are asking a struggling company to abandon a popular line, would they just switch to even worse business practises to keep a profit? If hunting a certain animal is banned then will hunters go for a rarer one? Is your cause too narrow, or have you maybe missed an aspect? Sometimes when we research a topic we find an angle we hadn't previously considered. This can be enough to change our minds or to consider exceptions. Make sure you do your research before you start your petition.
Do something as well as an online petition
Have you heard of an online petition actually achieving anything? Paper petitions have proven to be of very little use, look at the number of people who signed Jubilee 2000 with no result. Online petitions are even less effective as it is far too easy and anonymous. John from London and Lisa from MA do not have much authority and will hardly convince someone to change their minds. Do some direct activism, such as street theater, to get people involved. Invite the press to take photographs to give publicity. You can then mention the number of people who signed the petition, rather than using it as the only focus. If you feel you must do an online petition, then go for it. Just don't rely too heavily on it for a positive outcome.
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