Regarding Luke Samuel’s letter (25 September) about Uber’s petition, which the company started on Change.org, anyone can use Change.org to campaign about the issues that matter to them. That is the beauty of our platform: everyone has access. No matter who you are, you have the freedom to sign petitions you care about, or even start an opposing petition. This is why we’ve seen hundreds of thousands of people turn to Change.org in the last few days on either side of the Uber debate.
Our mission is to empower people everywhere to create the change they want to see. The signatures on Uber’s petition were driven by their customers, rather than advertising on our site. We no longer have organisations advertising on our platform and have shifted our business model so that it is powered by people. You can now become a subscriber of Change.org or chip in to help specific campaigns get seen by more people.
The response on the site shows how passionately Londoners care about their city. We’re proud to be a place where passion translates into a loud message to decision makers. The fact that individuals can voice protest with petitions and a day later get a direct response from the London mayor is a powerful thing for democracy. We look forward to seeing more politicians and companies seek the views of the public on Change.org when making important decisions.
Kajal Odedra
UK director, Change.org
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