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There is one important number missing from the infographics in this blog post. Difference Made: 0

by zainny 14y ago

pekk 14y ago
Do you think it is better not to provide any website for registering opinions?
- maratd 14y ago
  Neither better nor worse? We the people, already know what we the people want. Writing it down doesn't make much difference. Maybe for the sake of posterity?
- diminoten 14y ago
  In a word? Yes. Providing the illusion of listening is actively deceptive, whereas not having the website won't trick people into thinking they're interacting with their government.
- InclinedPlane 14y ago
  Of course. Without it people would be forced to contact their congressional reps, their senators, their local law makers, send letters directly to the president, and get involved with the media. All of which are precisely the sorts of ways you can actually effect change.
  - 2muchcoffeeman 14y ago
    With an increase in effort required is there also a corresponding decrease in people who follow through? Could you not create a petition and then heavily promote it to gain media attention? I mean, look at the Death Star petition. That made the regular news everywhere. I think this is just another avenue to voice your opinion. Anyone serious about effecting change is going to use all possible forms of media to do it. Anyone not serious would have done nothing petition website or not.
  - deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]
  - alexkus 14y ago
    Indeed, I've always thought of them as a cunning way of soaking up some of the pressure. The UK's version ( http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ ) goes a step further as you have to provide your name and a full address, so regularly signing petitions will be giving the Government a nice set of data to mine to provide a political profile based on views on certain issues... The site says "This information will not be used for any purpose other than in relation to the e-petition." but that doesn't fill me with confidence that they can't do mining...
- flyinRyan 14y ago
  It might be interesting for an external party to have such a website but it's counter productive for the government to have one because clicking a link on an online petition accomplishes literally nothing. How invested you are in an issue is displayed by how much work you're willing to put into doing something about it. Online petition is practically zero work so it's zero worth, regardless of how many people click what.

There is one important number missing from the infographics in this blog post. Difference Made: 0

by zainny 14y ago

There is one important number missing from the infographics in this blog post. Difference Made: 0

pekk 14y ago

Do you think it is better not to provide any website for registering opinions?

maratd 14y ago
Neither better nor worse? We the people, already know what we the people want. Writing it down doesn't make much difference. Maybe for the sake of posterity?
diminoten 14y ago
In a word? Yes. Providing the illusion of listening is actively deceptive, whereas not having the website won't trick people into thinking they're interacting with their government.
InclinedPlane 14y ago
Of course. Without it people would be forced to contact their congressional reps, their senators, their local law makers, send letters directly to the president, and get involved with the media. All of which are precisely the sorts of ways you can actually effect change.
- 2muchcoffeeman 14y ago
  With an increase in effort required is there also a corresponding decrease in people who follow through? Could you not create a petition and then heavily promote it to gain media attention? I mean, look at the Death Star petition. That made the regular news everywhere. I think this is just another avenue to voice your opinion. Anyone serious about effecting change is going to use all possible forms of media to do it. Anyone not serious would have done nothing petition website or not.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- alexkus 14y ago
  Indeed, I've always thought of them as a cunning way of soaking up some of the pressure. The UK's version ( http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ ) goes a step further as you have to provide your name and a full address, so regularly signing petitions will be giving the Government a nice set of data to mine to provide a political profile based on views on certain issues... The site says "This information will not be used for any purpose other than in relation to the e-petition." but that doesn't fill me with confidence that they can't do mining...
flyinRyan 14y ago
It might be interesting for an external party to have such a website but it's counter productive for the government to have one because clicking a link on an online petition accomplishes literally nothing. How invested you are in an issue is displayed by how much work you're willing to put into doing something about it. Online petition is practically zero work so it's zero worth, regardless of how many people click what.