Why Online Petitions Don’t Work

We cannot state strongly enough how much we wish that online petitions were effective.  They’re so fast ‘n easy and so many Michael Jackson admirers have already signed them.  Unfortunately, they don’t work, and there are many reasons why.  Please take the time to carefully read this explanation.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/internet.asp

In fact, they’re so ineffective, another word to describe them has entered the public lexicon:

SLACKTIVISM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slacktivism

Having said that, there is a form of Internet petition that does work.  It’s called a “site-based petition.” Here’s an example of a site-based petition utilized by MoveOn.org, the most successful Internet-based public policy advocacy group in the history of the United States.

http://pol.moveon.org/cleanairactvote

Please note the critical distinction between an online petition and a site-based petition:

  • An online petition is signed by a person unwilling or unable to divulge his/her actual name and residence address.  We know of no online petitions that provide the means to record this data or that require the data as a condition of signing.
  • A site-based petition is signed by a person willing to provide his/her actual name, residence address and (possibly) phone number AND the signer’s email address must be verified by the site by confirming the signer’s unique Internet Protocol address.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_address

As of 2009, MoveOn claims a membership of 5.2 million, with 20 full-time and 20 part-time staffers, and an annual budget of $642,000.  We think you’ll agree they must be doing something right.  They do not use online petitions; they use site-based petitions.

http://www.change.org/moveonorg_civic_action/details/about

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MoveOn.org

At MJTruthNow.com, we want our efforts to actually count for Michael.  In addition to a site-based petition for our site that is currently in development, we encourage each and every Michael Jackson advocate to take pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and prepare a unique letter to ABC News Nightline, the target of our concern.  However, it’s important that such letters be mailed and petitions delivered simultaneously. We at MJTruthNow.com will assist in the coordination of a letter-writing and petition-signing campaign.  Please sign up for our newsletter to stay informed.

We think you’ll agree there’s a right way and a wrong way to do anything.  It’s clear that all Michael Jackson advocates should take instruction from MoveOn.org and abandon online petitions as ineffective.  To answer your question—”Do you honestly think that if thousands of people on Facebook or any petition sign something that it is just going to go unnoticed?”—the  answer is yes, online petitions will go unnoticed because online petitions are a form of slacktivism, an Internet phenomenon well known by corporations.

All of us at MJTruthNow.com share a passionate advocacy of Michael Jackson.  However, it’s crucial that Michael Jackson advocates fully understand the limitations of online petitions compared to site-based petitions.  Just ask MoveOn.org.

The headquarters of The Walt Disney Company, owners of ABC News Nightline, are located in Southern California.  All site-based petitions generated by MJTruthNow.com will be personally delivered to Disney headquarters in Burbank, California.