When you start a petition on Change.org, you take on certain legal responsibilities. This article explains the legal requirements for petition starters on the Change.org platform.

Compliance with laws and regulations

Petitions, and all subsequent updates, need to abide by all applicable laws and regulations, including the laws of their country as well as laws with jurisdiction over the petition starter or the petition.

Change.org Terms of Service and Community Guidelines

Additionally, please read our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines, as you must agree to these before creating a petition or using our platform.

What this means for you as a petition starter

As the starter of a Change.org petition, you are responsible for ensuring that your petition content, updates, and all materials you post comply with applicable laws. This includes, but is not limited to, laws regarding defamation, privacy, intellectual property, and other legal protections.

Change.org is a platform that enables users to create and manage their own petitions. Change.org does not create, manage, or endorse campaigns started by users. Petition starters are solely responsible for the content they publish on the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my petition violates the Terms of Service or Community Guidelines?

If your petition violates Change.org's Terms of Service or Community Guidelines, it may be removed from the platform. Petitions can be flagged for review by Change.org's team or by users. For more information, see ‘Petition removals’ and ‘Reporting content violations’.

Do I need to use my real name on Change.org?

No. Change.org does not require users to use their real names as they appear on official documents, and Change.org does not verify identities. You can create an account using a pseudonym, stage name, or pen name. If you're starting a petition, you can use your organization's name as your account name. When signing a petition, you can also choose to hide your name and comment by unchecking the display option.

However, creating an account under a false identity violates Change.org's Terms of Use. Additionally, signing the same petition multiple times with different accounts is against Change.org's Community Guidelines. The distinction is that not using your real name for privacy purposes is allowed, but impersonation or creating a false identity is not permitted.

Real name policy