epetitions

An e-petition is a petition submitted electronically to a government, intergovernmental body, or organization to advocate for a policy change, express support or opposition to a proposal, or raise awareness of an issue. Petitions are typically signed online, and the public visibility of signatures and comments can add transparency to the process.

E-petitions are hosted on official portals or private platforms. Government portals include examples such as the United Kingdom Parliament’s e-petitions site and various national or local government systems. The European Parliament operates a petition system, and the European Citizens' Initiative requires at least 1 million signatures from at least seven member states to initiate formal consideration by the European Commission. Private platforms such as Change.org host petitions aimed at influencing decision-makers, though they may not trigger formal action on behalf of a government.

Procedural rules and thresholds vary by jurisdiction. In the UK, petitions that reach 10,000 signatures receive an official government response, and those reaching 100,000 may be considered for debate in Parliament. In other contexts, thresholds may be higher or lower, and some jurisdictions do not require signature thresholds for action, instead focusing on visibility or mobilization.

Impact and criticisms: E-petitions can mobilize public support, raise awareness, and put issues on the policy agenda, but their influence depends on political will and process design. Critics point to questions of representation, verification of signatures, potential manipulation, and the non-binding nature of petitions. Privacy and data protection considerations also apply to how signature data is collected and stored.