Crowd lobbying, also known as grassroots lobbying, is a form of advocacy where individuals or groups, often with the help of technology and social media, mobilize a large number of people to influence government decisions and policies. It involves ordinary citizens, rather than professional lobbyists, engaging in the political process to advocate for specific issues, causes, or legislative changes.
One of the most renowned crowd-lobbying organizations is Change.org, with a tagline of “The power of your voice”, boasts a vast user base of 500 million individuals. Change.org, connects people across geographic and cultural boundaries to support causes they care about. This platform empowers anyone to initiate petitions, raise funds for causes, and most importantly, influence the existing order. Notable campaigns on Change.org have included garnering over 2 million signatures to support the impeachment of former Brazilian President Dilma Roussef in 2016 and a 2019 petition demanding justice for George Floyd, which amassed a remarkable 19 million signatures.
In the state of Virginia in the United States, CrowdLobby’s website welcomes visitors with the message, “We’re dedicated to problem-solving and empowering the American people.” CrowdLobby uses a crowdfunded model to give everyday Americans access to one of the most effective political tools in history: lobbying. They focus on campaigns such as enhancing state aid for low-income students in Virginia and creating economic incentives for employing individuals affected by autism.
Switzerland has its own version of crowd lobbying through a platform called Crowd Lobbying. With a mission statement of “Crowd lobbying, so that our concerns get a voice in parliament!” Here, citizens can engage in specific initiatives by selecting one or more members of the National Council, Switzerland’s lower house of Parliament, to whom they wish to send pre-set or customized messages. The platform displays members’ names, photos, and their stated positions, enabling users to direct their efforts toward those whose stance they aim to influence. Ongoing initiatives include an initiative to reduce Switzerland’s net carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
Based in Brussels, The Good Lobby is an organization dedicated to demystifying and promoting lobbying as a legitimate practice of participatory democracy. The key message is “We democratise lobbying to make our political system more equal.” They run a school that provides training in lobbying, campaigning, and advocacy to citizens, NGOs, social entrepreneurs, and companies. The Good Lobby also advocates for a law regulating lobbying activities in Italy and supports various initiatives.
Key features of crowd lobbying include:
- Mass Participation: It relies on a large number of individuals coming together to express their support or opposition for a particular issue or policy. This can involve signing petitions, making phone calls or sending emails to elected officials, attending rallies or protests, and using social media to raise awareness and build momentum.
- Digital Platforms: Technology and online platforms have played a significant role in facilitating crowd lobbying. Websites and social media platforms are often used to create petitions, share information, and mobilize supporters.
- Grassroots Activism: Crowd lobbying is often associated with grassroots movements, where ordinary people are inspired to take action on issues they care about. These actions can range from local concerns to national or global issues.
- Advocacy and Awareness: The primary goal of crowd lobbying is to raise awareness and apply pressure on policymakers to address specific concerns, pass or block legislation, or make changes in government policies.
- Influence on Decision-Making: The collective efforts of large numbers of engaged citizens can have a significant impact on decision-makers and influence policy outcomes. Elected officials may be more likely to respond to the concerns of their constituents when they see substantial public support or opposition.
- Diverse Issues: Crowd lobbying can address a wide range of issues, including social justice, environmental conservation, human rights, healthcare, education, and more. It is a versatile tool for advocating for a broad spectrum of causes.
- Transparency and Accountability: It often emphasizes transparency and accountability in government, as crowd lobbying enables citizens to hold elected officials accountable for their actions and decisions.
Overall, crowd lobbying is a democratic and participatory approach to shaping public policy by leveraging the collective voice of individuals who are passionate about a particular cause or issue. It allows citizens to express their concerns and advocate for change in a way that can influence government decisions and bring about policy reforms.
