Disagreeing with a petition
Table of Contents
Change.org is an open platform where people of all viewpoints can advocate for the change they want to see in the world. As long as petitions follow our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines, they can remain on the platform. This means you may encounter Change.org petitions that express opinions you disagree with.
All petitions are created and managed by individual users, not by Change.org. The platform represents the many diverse opinions of our more than 500 million users worldwide.
While Change.org does not offer a "disagree" button or downvote option for petitions, you have several ways to respond when you encounter a petition you disagree with.
Start a counter-petition
The most powerful way to respond to a Change.org petition you disagree with is to start your own petition expressing an opposing viewpoint. There are likely other people who share your perspective, and you could be the advocate they have been looking for.
To start your own petition:
- Go to https://www.change.org/start-a-petition
- Create a clear title that states your position
- Write a compelling description explaining your viewpoint
- Share your petition with others who may support your perspective
Starting your own petition allows you to gather support for your viewpoint and advocate for the change you want to see.
Search for existing petitions
Before starting a new petition, use the Change.org search function to look for existing petitions that share your point of view. If someone has already created a petition expressing your perspective, you can sign it and add your voice to that movement.
Report policy violations
If you believe a petition violates Change.org's Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, please take a look at our article on Reporting content violations.
The more specific you can be with your reason for reporting content, the more equipped the Change.org Support team will be when assessing your claim. Reported petitions are reviewed individually in the order they are received.
Important: Only report petitions that actually violate the Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. Simply disagreeing with a petition's viewpoint is not a valid reason for reporting.
Contact the petition starter
If you want to engage with the petition starter about their position, you can leave a comment on the petition. Keep in mind that you must sign a petition before you can comment on it, and all comments must abide by Change.org's Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.
For privacy and security reasons, Change.org does not provide petition starters' contact information directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a petition contains false information?
Change.org does not conduct fact-checking or verify the accuracy of user-submitted content at the time it is posted. If you believe a petition contains disagreeable claims, consider starting your own counter-petition to present an alternative viewpoint with the information you believe. If the petition violates the Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, you can report it using the "Report a policy violation" link on the petition page. Petitions that are false or misleading fall under this category and can be reported.