Downing Street e-petitions

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Method(s) Used

E-petitions (Methods)

Name of person who posted the project:

Ali Howes

Location of project:

United Kingdom

Date when the project started:

Date when the project ended/project ongoing:

Background to project:

The 21st Century's answer to paper petitions.

Purpose of project:

Downing Street works in partnership with the non-partisan charitable project mySociety to provide a service to allow citizens, charities and campaign groups to set up petitions that are hosted on the Downing Street website, enabling anyone to address and deliver a petition directly to the Prime Minister.

Project activities:

How to start an e-petition?
You can start a petition using the e-petition form available on the website. You will be asked to provide some basic information about yourself and your petition. The petition should be live on the website within five working days.

Do they accept all petitions?
They aim to accept as many petitions as possible. However the site has to meet standards that are set the in our terms and conditions and in the Civil Service Code.

Petitioners may freely disagree with the Government or call for changes of policy. There will be no attempt to exclude critical views and decisions to accept or reject will not be made on a party political basis.

How to sign a petition?
To sign a petition, you need to give your name, address and email on the form provided. Once you have signed the petition, you will receive an email asking you to confirm that you wish to add your name to the petition by clicking a link. Once you have done this, your name will be added to the petition.

What will you do with your name and address details if I sign a petition?
Nothing, unless you expressly ask to sign up for other services available on the Downing Street website (e.g. email updates). Your email address will be used to confirm your signature and, unless you ask not to, you will be sent a maximum of two responses to the issues raised in the petition and a maximum of two emails from the creator of the petition.

Project results:

The Downing Street e-petitions website offers people the opportunity to make their views known to the Government. The service enables smaller groups who may not have the funds to set up a website to still collect signatures online.

It also enables direct responses to those who have signed the petition online via email.

Contact details:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/

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