Mistakes in Advocacy - 4. Online petitions and polls
We are on day three of our "Mistakes Advocates Make" series and we are thrilled to see that so many of you stuck around! If you have missed the previous posts, don't worry. Head to our website and you will find them under the "So you want to be an advocate" section.
Usually after a highly publicized dog attack or fatality, conversations about a breed ban take over our social media. Online petitions soon follow, going viral and pleading for signatures.
Most people jump on these opportunities, but as a critical thinker we urge you to take a moment and consider if your time and your signature is truly making a difference.
First, the “pros” of an online petition. The intentions come from a great place, and with the power of social media they are able to reach hundreds of thousands of people. They can bring awareness to a situation, and spread the word at a pace that a simple informational post – let alone a live signature collection – could never aspire to.
They give people instant gratification at a time when we feel outraged and powerless. The moment we “sign” our name to an online petition we feel as though we have contributed to the fight, that we have voiced our concerns, that we are making a difference, and that our “signatures” matter.
Unfortunately, from a legal standpoint, and in terms of meaningfully addressing BSL, these electronic petitions won't make a difference.
In Canada, breed specific legislation is not a federal matter. For an online petition to be accepted the petition must present a concern that is at a Federal level and within the authority of the Parliament of Canada, the House of Commons, or the Government of Canada. It must collect specific information about signatories in a designated format (ie, not a change.org printout).
Breed specific legislation and animal control measures fall under municipal or provincial legislation. Each jurisdiction has their own clear guidelines on what is required to create a properly formatted and acceptable petition.
So next time you see a petition across your newsfeed, think about what you are signing. Is it going to realistically change or stop the legislation? If not, is it part of a sensible and reputable public awareness campaign.
P.S. This critical thinking also applies to online polls that we see attached to media coverage of breed bans. These polls are “clickbait” tools to direct traffic to their site and generate advertising revenue. They are not used to influence public policy.
A good rule of thumb for anything on the internet: think before you click!
