The Business of Change

Facebook and Twitter have become powerful tools for movements for social change from the Middle East to Occupy Wall Street. Now, social entrepreneurs are creating businesses to provide additional online tools for such movements. One such business is Change.org, which makes it easy to start a petition drive, for virtually any cause, and obtain signatures online from anyone anywhere in the world. A few months ago, a petition begun on Change.org sparked the consumer revolt that forced Bank of America to retreat from its plan to charge a fee on debit-card transactions.

Check out the Change.org website (including the “We’re Hiring” link at the bottom of the home page) and this article about Change.org from the Washington Post. Note the qualifications Change.org is looking for in hiring communications managers and directors and a “Director of Storytelling.”

Any lessons here about how to rally support for a cause? Would you sign an online petition? Have you signed one? Why or why not? Interested in working for Change.org? Can you think of any other ways that the Internet could facilitate social movements – and that might be the basis for a new business?

 

Comments

[Bob Martin]

I actually took part in a discussion relating to this in my Public Speaking class. We read a piece by Malcom Gladwell. In it he explained that he thought that social networking is not a viable way to be an activist. He defined activism as a physical action that requires someone to be physically present.

I think that online petitions are really positive and important. I have only signed a few of them before, mostly after a friend has really pushed me to. It's hard for me to really see how my signing an online petition can help or make a change.

I think the online fight against SOPA is one of the first times we are really seeing activism on the internet make a difference. It's hard to really know what place the internet has and is going to have in social change. But I think it would be foolish to think that it doesn't have an effect and never will.

[Shouhei Senno]

I think it's interesting that Change.org will essentially help you create a strategic communications plan with your protest campaign. The article mentions that a clear mission is necessary for protest movement to be efficient and effective, which ties into a lot of things we have learned about communication.

I have signed a petition online before, and I think that the convenience of taking action is what is so great about online petitions. This relates to what was mentioned in class about the possibilty of more people voting if it were convenient. More people are likely to sign a petition because it is so easy to do and doesn't require annoying people to nag you to physically sign a piece of paper. However, at the same time, I question how many people actually sign these online petitions knowing what they are signing for.

[Aileen Aquino]

I agree with both Bob and Shouhei. I question how effective these petitions will be, but they are most definitely convenient and more likely to spread faster than the traditional person stopping you on the street. At the same time, when these petitions are running through Facebook and Twitter, I feel as if the signatures may lose a bit of its credibility, especially as to how people came about signing it. Thinking about how a person would just sign something they saw on Facebook briefly on an ad makes me fear of what petitions may spread like wildfire without any real intention.

One lesson I definitely realize is determination. WIth a supporting group like Change.org, people are now more likely to speak up and go the extra mile for their cause (although it's actually easier because it's digital). I've never signed an online petition but if given the opportunity, I would be very skeptical. Recalling the days of chain mail and spam mail, I would think twice in signing an online petition just because.. it's online. Then again, with Change.org, there is some security in signing.

With that, working with Change.org sounds challenging, but I'd like to work towards making the internet a more reliable place, especially with their strong direction in working for causes.

[Eden Haile]

Social networking is a great way to spread awareness about a cause. Alot of my friends never heard about the SOPA bill until it started treanding on twitter. Since the media cannot give late to every sing cause out there, I think Change.org is a great way to spread awareness. If the issue is compelling to alot of people, I think then mobilization is possible. I do see how online petitions can lack credibility and centralized mission. If the issue is that important, then the petitions will be effective.

[D]

Change.org petitions are a great way to break the ice and open up certain dialogues about causes you deem important. There are also a great way to do something rather than nothing. Persoanlly, I believe you can make an argument stronger when you’re in person.

Recently, I met with the State’s Health and Wellness Committee and up until meeting, our correspondence was done via telephone and electronic and the response was weak, but when we showed up for our appointment the dynamics changed and their demeanor changed.

I think that people in business and politics are often bombarded with emails and they tend to overlook those they do not deem noteworthy or recognize.

I never know where the online signatures are going and I do wonder what they are really being used for. If I'm going to sign a petition, I prefer to do it in person than online, but there are people that don’t have the time to do it in person and prefer to conduct their business online and so, online petitions do serve their purpose and, as I have read, do make a difference.

Posted by:
Giana Lampreda

[Carley Butcher]

A lesson that is very evident is that the internet is a great way to begin conversation about different issues. Although I have never signed one, I definitely would consider signing an online petition if I believed in the cause. I think it is important for people to voice their opinions and stand up for what they believe.

Change.org allows for anyone to make a petition quite easily. This makes me wonder how many people are taking advantage of this, creating petitions just because they can, even if the petition will not be successful. Also, some people will sign their name willingly without fully understanding what the petition is really about. This makes me question the validity of some online petitions. But in the end, I think online petitions and social media sites such as Facebook, are a great way to get your voice heard and to hear from others. Taking action is important and the internet seems to be the best way to do so and has the greatest impact.

[Jake McCune]

It's very interesting, what Change.org is doing. I'm not sure how I feel about the monetization of revolutions, but their free service seems to have accomplished quite a bit. Something like Change.org couldn't have existed 10 years ago, and though people say the internet isn't important in revolution, the SOPA/PIPA protests are just one example of how crowdsourcing against a cause can be useful.

Online petitions vary in their effectiveness. I will say that I signed an online petition recently in protest of SOPA/PIPA. There is something to be said about the convenience of it, and I think if you combine that with the ability to reach a massive audience, only a small percentage of which actually have to sign it, you have a powerful tool for change.

[Jedrik Viray]

I have never signed an online petition and I never thought I would until I saw this website. To be honest, this website totally changed the way I saw online petitions because it made me feel like my name could count towards something. The thing that intrigued me the most off of the home page was the "Start, Mobilize, Win." Part of the home page. As I read the different steps of how certain petitions made a difference, it made me believe that these petitions can make a difference. It's intriguing to me how that one addition to the home page could change my mind so drastically. I would definitely consider working for the company. I think it would be interesting to see how online petitions will become more and more a part of how people try and create social change.

[A Facebook User]

I have never signed an online petition nor do I think I ever will. I do feel that it is worth having the option to do so because if so many people make the effort to do so, it is both beneficial for the company and the consumers. In one of my other classes we discussed the bank of america situation and I was so surprised that the use of social media had that kind of durastic affect on such a large company. I think it is a good idea to have but it is just not something i would put the effort in to doing. I wouldn't really have any interest in working for the site either.

[A Facebook User]

I have never signed an online petition nor do I think I ever will. I do feel that it is worth having the option to do so because if so many people make the effort to do so, it is both beneficial for the company and the consumers. In one of my other classes we discussed the bank of america situation and I was so surprised that the use of social media had that kind of durastic affect on such a large company. I think it is a good idea to have but it is just not something i would put the effort in to doing. I wouldn't really have any interest in working for the site either.

[Jessica]

I believe that Change.org is a prime example of how social media can positively change society. Although I agree with Bob’s comment concerning the definition of activism, I also firmly believe that in order to gain public interest and attention, activists must utilize their resources in order to reach as many people as possible. With the on-going uproar of Facebook and Twitter, Change.org only makes this process easier for individuals and organizations to let their voices be heard.
I have only signed a couple online petitions before. It’s difficult to fully grasp the idea that my opinion is being counter via online, however, it makes it easier for more people to become involved. I would be interested in working at Change.org simply because it is a form of social media that is of it’s own. It’s evident through the article and their website that their goal is to better the world. Thus, working for a company like that would be beneficial on a personal level, as well as professionally.
One of the more recent social movements that took off was SOPA. Through Twitter, Facebook, and famous sites such as Yahoo and Google, the response from millions of people through the Internet made a significant difference.

[Samantha Eisen]

Like Bob, our public speaking class raised the issue of whether activism exists on the internet or if it must be a physical action that you take part in.

Online petitions seem like a great way to bring awareness to a cause. It is easy to spread information about an issue to a wide variety of people and let others know what is happening around the world. Although I do think online petitions bring awareness, I'm not sure they necessarily always bring change. I have signed online petitions before and they make it easy for people to become involved. They make you feel as if you're making a difference, although I don't know how effective they truly are. In addition, I'm unsure that everyone who signs them knows enough about the issue or if they're signing them because their friends are doing it.

[Jordan Keller]

While online petitions seem like a great way to get your cause out there, especially today, I doubt the security of signing anything online. I wouldn't sign a petition in general, even if it was a hard copy. I like to be private about my beliefs and because of this, I sometimes even have a hard time voting (a little extreme, i know).

I have heard of another website similar to this that is connected to facebook. I think it is causes.com? Anyway, I feel that becasue it in done by facebook and people can easily donate money to any organization they choose (or one that a friend might be promoting), it will encourage more people to use the site (based on credibility and availability).

[Stefanie Anderson]

Social media and websites that support social movements such as "change.org" can be an incredible tool for spreading awareness and gaining support for a cause. However, I question how much electronically signing your name on a petition will truly help the cause you are supposedly supporting. I have never signed an online petition, but if I was presented with an issue I felt passionate enough about, I wouldn't hesitate to sign one. But- I think it's important for people who feel compelled to sign online petitions to think about other ways they can support the cause. Like Sam explained, online "activism" can give people the false sense of making a difference. While websites such as change.org are great at spreading awareness there needs to be additional measures taken in order to make a real difference in a cause.