If you sign a petition started by an NGO or other organization, you will be presented with the option of sharing your email address with that NGO or organization to receive direct email updates from them (not via the platform) should you choose to provide your consent for such sharing.

The right to petition government for redress of grievances is the right to make a complaint to, or seek the assistance of, one’s government, without fear of punishment or reprisals. The right can be traced back to the Bill of Rights 1689, the Petition of Right (1628), and Magna Carta (1215).

A petition is a legal document formally requesting a court order. Petitions, along with complaints, are considered pleadings at the onset of a lawsuit.

Change.org is a total scam! Avoid them by any mean.

In an appeal, you are asking for redress or reconsideration of a decision by a court of jurisdiction. A petition is request for a court to make a separate, i.e. original judgement regarding an issue. An appeal would be more of a legal request regarding a previously adjudicated matter.

The site has been accused of fooling its users and hiding the fact that it is “a for-profit entity that has an economic incentive to get people to sign petitions”. Change.org is being deliberately deceitful through the use of the change.org name.

There are several reasons that you may see a charge from Change.org on your credit card or bank statement. You have promoted a petition, signed up for regular monthly contribution or donated to a fundraiser on our platform. Promoting a petition: This displays a list of your most recently signed and started petitions.

When you promote a petition, your money goes to Change.org, which then increases the petition’s visibility on its own website and email lists. Change.org conducts no external advertising outside the platform; the service the donor pays for is strictly promotion on the Change.org website.

Typically, after there are enough signatories, the resulting letter may be delivered to the subject of the petition, usually via e-mail. The online petition may also deliver an email to the target of the petition each time the petition is signed.

According to progressive online activist group Netroots Foundation, the cost of a petition promoted on Change.org without regional targeting is $1.75 per e-mail address. The Foundation reported that organizations could acquire the contacts of supporters who opted into giving their information in a free campaign.

How to sign a petition

1. Profile (personal) information. To sign the petition, you will be required to provide your first name, last name, a valid email address, and general geographic location (City, Country and Zip Code).
2. Privacy considerations. Beneath the ‘Sign’ button you will see the ‘Display my name and comment on this petition’ option.

8 Tips for Finding People to Sign Your Petition

1. Send emails to your friends and family asking them to sign.
2. Share your petition on Facebook.
3. Send updates to the people who have signed your petition and ask them to share the petition with their friends.
4. Share your petition on Twitter.
5. Post the link in the comments of relevant news articles and blog posts.

When a petition is signed, our system automatically emails a confirmation to the email address associated with that account. At the bottom of the email, you will see the option “Didn’t sign this petition? Remove your signature”. To remove your signature, click on the Remove your signature link.