When Change.org was founded in 2007, it was engineered to be a platform for the voiceless to quickly organize for a cause and win battles for progressive change. Indeed, the organization has helped people stop foreclosures of their homes, and has been involved in much positive change.
But it fell under controversy recently when it was revealed that it would start allowing corporate, Republican, and other organizations and causes to use its list-building tools. It is a for-profit corporation and these sources would allow it to expand its revenue stream.
The so-called “Campaign To Fix The Debt” is using Change.org tools to get members and build its e-mail list. Recall that the Campaign To Fix The Debt is a group run by corporate CEOs and bankers that is trying to cut Social Security and lower corporate tax rates.
The group is running a petition on Change’s site calling on Congress to endorse the Bowles-Simpson plan to cut Social Security and corporate taxes. In the three months the petition has been up, it has gained 255,846 supporters.
If you go to the Campaign To Fix The Debt’s website, you’ll see that it brags of having over 300,000 signatories to its petition:
Put two and two together and you’ll see that it appears that almost the entire membership list of the Campaign To Fix The Debt comes from Change.org’s petition tool.
Progressive organizations and grassroots activists who have been utilizing Change.org should be wary about the organization’s tentative alliance with this CEO-led group that is trying to cut Social Security while lowering the corporate tax rate.
We won’t compromise our values. Sign up to join our e-mail list using the tool below this post or above it and help us defend Social Security and Medicare.
Tyko Kihlstedt says:
What the hell are you people doing? What are you thinking? No more will I support Change.org.
Jerry Lopez says:
I will research this allegation. If it turns out to be true, I will cancel my membership in Change.Org.
Green Eyeshade says:
Did they solicit money through ActBlue or any other network that we can turn around on them to demand refunds?
snowli says:
I went to change.org. site to sign the ” Nobel Prize for Malala ” petition. It looked like a business site w/ heavy emphasis on fundraising. Kinda freaked me out!
Carol Richardson says:
How disappointing! Change.org a sellout? I will no longer support this site. Too bad.
Ginger Comstock says:
Please tell me how I “unsubscribe” from your organization. I didn’t sign on to support CEOs.
Forrest Franks says:
Not cool
helen says:
When something becomes too good to be true, it usually means it will fail you due to its weakness for money. I am not surprised, just disappointed. This scene has been played and replayed before.
Randall Kramm says:
Well, that’s the pee in my cornflakes for today.
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