Comments on: Change.org: We’ve Seen This Before http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/ The latest blogs from Food and Water Watch Tue, 21 May 2013 02:49:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Ted Rheingold http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-69316 Ted Rheingold Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:36:35 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-69316 I've just been researching change.org. At this later date, I'm not seeing any indication of significant corporate presence or infiltraion of their site. Are you still concerned Monsanto and API will corrupt the values of the cause primarily promoted? I’ve just been researching change.org. At this later date, I’m not seeing any indication of significant corporate presence or infiltraion of their site.

Are you still concerned Monsanto and API will corrupt the values of the cause primarily promoted?

]]> By: B. Smith http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-49306 B. Smith Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:16:10 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-49306 The only reason I haven't withdrawn my membership so far is because I can still send and receive messages from a few of my friends there. I will soon be signing off of Change.org for the last time. I think the best we can hope for at this point is that a mass exodus of members causes them to just shut it all down. The only reason I haven’t withdrawn my membership so far is because I can still send and receive messages from a few of my friends there. I will soon be signing off of Change.org for the last time. I think the best we can hope for at this point is that a mass exodus of members causes them to just shut it all down.

]]> By: Yvonne Taylor http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-49083 Yvonne Taylor Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:47:33 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-49083 I have signed all petitions on this, and will be withdrawing my ChangeOrg membership soon if they do not go back to the way it was. I have signed all petitions on this, and will be withdrawing my ChangeOrg membership soon if they do not go back to the way it was.

]]> By: ThomasB http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-39616 ThomasB Sun, 28 Oct 2012 17:52:56 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-39616 Thank god I've never joined Change.org And will do it never for any other organization. I help this one who need our help really,and not such who do it just for greed. Thank god I’ve never joined Change.org
And will do it never for any other organization.
I help this one who need our help really,and not such who do it just for greed.

]]> By: *C* http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38804 *C* Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:29:24 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38804 One further thought . . . Since Change.org presented itself as a limited means of promoting activism, I accepted it as just that. As such, and as I previously mentioned, I had compartmentalized the growing group of "friends" I had there as serious activists, content to be contacted for that purpose. While I used their venue for that purpose, and my friends at Care2 for much more varied reasons, my personal email contacts consist of family and friends (many carefully-chosen through involvement at those and other sites) and my communications with my personal contacts rarely involve messages requesting calls to action. It's a time to relax, get to know each other on another level and exchange personal news, jokes, etc. I highly resented being forced to upload a list of those I'd already carefully chosen to be of a more intimate nature to a site that had eliminated their only offered choice of acquiring like-minded activists (without even providing advance notice). Totally unprofessional; and decidedly insensitive! One further thought . . .

Since Change.org presented itself as a limited means of promoting activism, I accepted it as just that. As such, and as I previously mentioned, I had compartmentalized the growing group of “friends” I had there as serious activists, content to be contacted for that purpose.

While I used their venue for that purpose, and my friends at Care2 for much more varied reasons, my personal email contacts consist of family and friends (many carefully-chosen through involvement at those and other sites) and my communications with my personal contacts rarely involve messages requesting calls to action. It’s a time to relax, get to know each other on another level and exchange personal news, jokes, etc.

I highly resented being forced to upload a list of those I’d already carefully chosen to be of a more intimate nature to a site that had eliminated their only offered choice of acquiring like-minded activists (without even providing advance notice).

Totally unprofessional; and decidedly insensitive!

]]> By: *C* http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38801 *C* Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:50:23 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38801 After I'd joined Change.org, I realized that -- other than creating and promoting petitions and other actions -- there really wasn't much else to do there. Because I'm an active member of Care2, which offers many other avenues of involvement, I could see the advantage to linking with a group of friends at Change.org who had also joined because they were interested in signing and further promoting calls to action. (I thought it would be great not to be asked NOT to forward those things, which made the site of special value to me.) With the constant, and on-going problems at Change.org . . . when I couldn't access my friends list there, at first, I assumed it was -- yet again -- another programming problem. As such, I wrote to their pseudo "help team" to report it. Imagine my disappointment when I got a round-about explanation that I'd need to use Facebook (which I don't trust) . . . or pull up my private email contacts (which I trust giving giving access to anyone else even less)! Frankly, I felt like the victim of a "bait and switch" scam; so I deleted my Change.org account, after leaving a message on my profile there as to why. After I’d joined Change.org, I realized that — other than creating and promoting petitions and other actions — there really wasn’t much else to do there.

Because I’m an active member of Care2, which offers many other avenues of involvement, I could see the advantage to linking with a group of friends at Change.org who had also joined because they were interested in signing and further promoting calls to action.

(I thought it would be great not to be asked NOT to forward those things, which made the site of special value to me.)

With the constant, and on-going problems at Change.org . . . when I couldn’t access my friends list there, at first, I assumed it was — yet again — another programming problem. As such, I wrote to their pseudo “help team” to report it.

Imagine my disappointment when I got a round-about explanation that I’d need to use Facebook (which I don’t trust) . . . or pull up my private email contacts (which I trust giving giving access to anyone else even less)!

Frankly, I felt like the victim of a “bait and switch” scam; so I deleted my Change.org account, after leaving a message on my profile there as to why.

]]> By: Kev C http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38763 Kev C Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:54:52 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38763 Sounds like a divide and conquer policy. Stopping people communicating with each other except via the specified channels is another classic way of data mining. By stopping you all talking with each other via the Change site is another back handed way of empowering those who would object to you knowing about GM food stuffs and the dangers of Fracking and so on. More importantly dis-empowering you with regards one of the few avenues of opportunity for concerned people to do something positive about these and the many other issues that beset the planet right now. Maybe you should all adopt the 38 Degrees team based in the UK. They have still got independent ideals and believe in taking on the Goliath's at every turn. An article will appear in one of the Sunday papers talking about what makes 38 Degrees work. Its the people init! :) Sounds like a divide and conquer policy. Stopping people communicating with each other except via the specified channels is another classic way of data mining. By stopping you all talking with each other via the Change site is another back handed way of empowering those who would object to you knowing about GM food stuffs and the dangers of Fracking and so on. More importantly dis-empowering you with regards one of the few avenues of opportunity for concerned people to do something positive about these and the many other issues that beset the planet right now.
Maybe you should all adopt the 38 Degrees team based in the UK. They have still got independent ideals and believe in taking on the Goliath’s at every turn. An article will appear in one of the Sunday papers talking about what makes 38 Degrees work. Its the people init! :)

]]> By: Larry http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38756 Larry Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:15:40 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38756 Wow, I noticed a few things that were disturbing before reading this. I just closed my account. Thank you. Wow, I noticed a few things that were disturbing before reading this. I just closed my account.

Thank you.

]]> By: Barbara K http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38716 Barbara K Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:37:09 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38716 I hope someone starts up a site to be the way change.org was. I would join it immediately and I think many others will too. There must be someone out there who knows how to do this. I hope someone starts up a site to be the way change.org was. I would join it immediately and I think many others will too. There must be someone out there who knows how to do this.

]]> By: Nicole Weber http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38702 Nicole Weber Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:06:32 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38702 Well said Andrew! I am personally highly disappointed in this new venue. I will support other advocacy organizations that do NOT open themselves to the special interest groups that we are morally and ethically opposed. Well said Andrew!
I am personally highly disappointed in this new venue. I will support other advocacy organizations that do NOT open themselves to the special interest groups that we are morally and ethically opposed.

]]> By: Nick H http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38700 Nick H Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:58:09 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38700 I've been a memeber for a long time, and upset that they won't allow is to contact people on our friends list. That was the first time I noticed a problem. The fact they will support corporations that destroy our planet, is disgusting to me. Big corporate money is buying the US. We should be called THE UNITED CORPORATIONS OF AMERICA now. :( I’ve been a memeber for a long time, and upset that they won’t allow is to contact people on our friends list. That was the first time I noticed a problem. The fact they will support corporations that destroy our planet, is disgusting to me. Big corporate money is buying the US. We should be called THE UNITED CORPORATIONS OF AMERICA now. :(

]]> By: Amdrew Heugel http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38689 Amdrew Heugel Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:46:18 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38689 Change.org has had numerous errors of all kinds since it opened shop. In the beginning, these errors appeared to be of a technical nature, and though inconvenienced, the vast majority of members attributed such errors to change.org's growing process. Now it’s gruesome! However, during the past year, change.org has increasingly limited the ability of its rank and file members to communicate with each other and this past January eliminated the ability of change.org members to share petitions, except through Facebook, Twitter, or one of their favored e-mail programs while giving change.org your password to these sites. Meanwhile, change.org has increasingly "featured" and promoted petitions of their management's choosing in so doing has shown that it's more interested in profits and satisfying such one per center platforms as Facebook than in promoting true grass roots advocacy. It's long past time for this to change, and for change.org to put the power back in the hands of the people, and be more transparent regarding admitting their recent dubious dealings. Below are seven petitions and a Huffington Post article and Care2 blog regarding the unfortunate changes at change and each advocating for change.org to become more transparent and treat its members with respect. There were more such petitions, but those writers gave up hope, as it takes polite patience and persistence to beat “City Hall.” Power to the peons aka the 99%! Andy http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-needs-to-listen-to-and-empower-their-members http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-to-change-back-to-the-way-it-was-before http://www.change.org/petitions/changeorg-what-happened-to-sharing http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-give-us-back-our-friends http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-don-t-sell-out-people-over-profit http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-don-t-sell-out-to-right-wing-causes-and-corporate-interests http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-do-not-change-petition-tallies-without-providing-evidence-of-errors And, here’s a link to a Huffington Post article and a Care2 blog re how change.org has sold what remained of its souls to the forces of the corporate dark side: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/22/changeorg-corporate-gop-campaigns-internal-documents_n_1987985.html?show_comment_id=198883620#comment_198883620 http://www.care2.com/causes/change-comes-to-change-org.html Change.org has had numerous errors of all kinds since it opened shop. In the beginning, these errors appeared to be of a technical nature, and though inconvenienced, the vast majority of members attributed such errors to change.org’s growing process. Now it’s gruesome!

However, during the past year, change.org has increasingly limited the ability of its rank and file members to communicate with each other and this past January eliminated the ability of change.org members to share petitions, except through Facebook, Twitter, or one of their favored e-mail programs while giving change.org your password to these sites. Meanwhile, change.org has increasingly “featured” and promoted petitions of their management’s choosing in so doing has shown that it’s more interested in profits and satisfying such one per center platforms as Facebook than in promoting true grass roots advocacy. It’s long past time for this to change, and for change.org to put the power back in the hands of the people, and be more transparent regarding admitting their recent dubious dealings.

Below are seven petitions and a Huffington Post article and Care2 blog regarding the unfortunate changes at change and each advocating for change.org to become more transparent and treat its members with respect. There were more such petitions, but those writers gave up hope, as it takes polite patience and persistence to beat “City Hall.”

Power to the peons aka the 99%!

Andy

http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-needs-to-listen-to-and-empower-their-members
http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-to-change-back-to-the-way-it-was-before
http://www.change.org/petitions/changeorg-what-happened-to-sharing
http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-give-us-back-our-friends
http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-don-t-sell-out-people-over-profit
http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-don-t-sell-out-to-right-wing-causes-and-corporate-interests
http://www.change.org/petitions/change-org-do-not-change-petition-tallies-without-providing-evidence-of-errors
And, here’s a link to a Huffington Post article and a Care2 blog re how change.org has sold what remained of its souls to the forces of the corporate dark side:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/22/changeorg-corporate-gop-campaigns-internal-documents_n_1987985.html?show_comment_id=198883620#comment_198883620
http://www.care2.com/causes/change-comes-to-change-org.html

]]> By: Peter g. http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38569 Peter g. Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:51:38 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38569 Add Salsa Labs to the list of former progressives who have sold out their values in the interest of profits. Too bad. Add Salsa Labs to the list of former progressives who have sold out their values in the interest of profits. Too bad.

]]> By: Liz P. http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38557 Liz P. Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:28:49 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38557 This is one of the best articles I've seen written about this disturbing news. Well said, Ms. Hauter! Thank you for articulating the feelings many of us have had since Change.org's new policy became public. This is one of the best articles I’ve seen written about this disturbing news. Well said, Ms. Hauter! Thank you for articulating the feelings many of us have had since Change.org’s new policy became public.

]]> By: Kyla Mullens http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/blogs/change-org-weve-seen-this-before/#comment-38512 Kyla Mullens Wed, 24 Oct 2012 17:47:03 +0000 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/?post_type=blogs&p=21305#comment-38512 If Change.org starts working with Monsanto not only will it be a sad day, but they will lose a lot of people that support people that come to Change.org. This will hurt Change.org, but most of all i think it will hurt the people that utilize Change.org to make real social change. To Change.org; please do not partner with socially unethical entities. Care about people and not about money. If Change.org starts working with Monsanto not only will it be a sad day, but they will lose a lot of people that support people that come to Change.org. This will hurt Change.org, but most of all i think it will hurt the people that utilize Change.org to make real social change.
To Change.org; please do not partner with socially unethical entities. Care about people and not about money.

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