Online petitions have become an extremely popular way for people to advocate for causes they care about. With the power of social media and the internet, a well-executed petition can quickly go viral and attract hundreds of thousands or even millions of signatures. While many petitions don’t necessarily lead to direct action, some of the most successful ones from 2020 were able to create real, tangible change.
Petition for Justice for Breonna Taylor
One of the most famous petitions of 2020 was the demand for justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot in her apartment by Louisville police officers in March. The initial petition on Change.org calling for the officers involved to be charged and arrested has now received over 11 million signatures, making it one of the top signed petitions in the site’s history.
This petition, along with nationwide protests and advocacy efforts, led to some action being taken, including the city of Louisville agreeing to pay Taylor’s family $12 million and implement policing reforms. However, many feel justice has still not been adequately served since the officer who fired the fatal shots was not charged directly for Taylor’s death.
Petition for Monthly $2,000 Stimulus Checks
As the COVID-19 pandemic devastated lives and the economy in 2020, a Change.org petition called on Congress to provide $2,000 monthly recurring checks to all Americans throughout the duration of the crisis. Initiated by Colorado restaurant owner Stephanie Bonin, this petition gained over 2.3 million signatures.
While the petition’s specific demand was not met, Bonin’s efforts contributed momentum to passing legislation for multiple rounds of stimulus checks, including the $600 check in the second stimulus package and the proposed $1,400 check in Biden’s American Rescue Plan. The petition illustrates the public desire for continued financial support.
Petition for Requiring Officers to Intervene
After the killing of George Floyd where multiple officers failed to intervene, a petition was created urging Congress to pass legislation requiring officers to intervene if they witness excessive force. Originating on the website of advocacy group Color of Change, it received over 363,000 signatures.
This call was answered when President Trump signed an executive order in June incentivizing police departments to include a “duty to intervene” in use-of-force policies. Many departments nationwide have since adopted these policies mandating officers to stop misconduct by fellow officers.
Petition Against Ellen DeGeneres
After numerous allegations about the toxic work culture behind the scenes of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, a petition was posted on Change.org calling for the replacement of Ellen DeGeneres. It quickly exceeded its goal of 75,000 signatures.
Soon after, DeGeneres issued an apology about the workplace issues revealed by former staff. In August, three senior producers on the show were fired, indicating real accountability prompted by the public pressure.
Petition to Make Juneteenth a National Holiday
Juneteenth, the June 19 holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the US, gained widespread attention in 2020 following anti-racism protests. A petition urging corporations and lawmakers to recognize Juneteenth as a paid national holiday gained over 500,000 signatures.
As a direct result, multiple major companies like Nike and Google announced they were making Juneteenth a paid company holiday. And on June 17, 2021, Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday after being signed into law by President Biden following unanimous passage by Congress.
Petition for Reforming Qualified Immunity
Qualified immunity, the legal doctrine that shields government officials including police from civil lawsuits, came under scrutiny in 2020. A petition initiated by government accountability organization Demand Progress called on Congress to reform qualified immunity doctrine to better hold officials accountable for misconduct.
The petition received over 350,000 signatures and contributed to drawing widespread public and media attention to qualified immunity reform. While the petition’s exact demand was not fulfilled, it kept pressure on lawmakers and led to new proposed legislation aimed at changing the doctrine.
Petition Against Disney’s Live-Action Mulan
Controversy erupted over Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan after it was revealed parts of the movie were filmed in China’s Xinjiang province where the government has severely repressed and surveilled the Uyghur ethnic minority. An online petition with over 110,000 signatures called for a boycott of Mulan unless Disney took a public stance against the human rights abuses.
The boycott did not lead Disney to pull or delay the movie, but it helped raise massive public awareness about the plight of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and Disney’s cooperation with authorities there. Disney later faced harsh questioning from US lawmakers over its China ties.
Petition for Labeling Combat FPS Games as Adult Only
The hugely popular first-person shooter video game franchise Call of Duty faced renewed criticism in 2020 for encouraging violence and being too accessible to children. A petition submitted on Change.org called for the Entertainment Software Rating Board to designate FPS combat games like Call of Duty as “Adults Only.” It received over 25,000 signatures.
The petition did not succeed in changing the rating for Call of Duty, but it fueled an ongoing debate about violence in video games and whether more regulation is needed. It brought more parental and public attention to scrutinizing age ratings for games with realistic violence.
Petition to Remove Kanye West from Illinois Ballot
Before the 2020 election, rapper Kanye West made a late announcement that he was running for president as an independent candidate. A petition circulated in Illinois with over 25,000 signatures urged the state board of elections to disqualify him from appearing on the Illinois ballot for improper petition signatures.
Not long after the petition gained traction, the board ruled in its favor and blocked West from appearing on the state ballot due to the invalid signatures he submitted. This demonstrated the petition’s real impact on a tangible outcome of the election in Illinois.
Petition to Ban TikTok
Citing privacy and security concerns due to its Chinese ownership, a petition rapidly gained over 500,000 signatures calling for the viral social media app TikTok to be banned in the United States.
While the app was not ultimately banned nationally, the Trump administration cited the same concerns as the petition in two executive orders authorizing bans on TikTok which were later blocked in federal courts. The petition contributed to the public momentum which led Trump to take action against TikTok over its Chinese ties.
Petition Against Amy Cooper (Central Park Karen)
When a video went viral showing Amy Cooper calling police and falsely claiming an African American man was threatening her in New York’s Central Park, a petition called for her termination by her employer which received over 150,000 signatures.
Within a day of the petition’s circulation, Cooper’s employer publicly announced they had fired her in direct response to her racist actions. This demonstrated the force and speed at which a hugely popular petition could enact swift accountability.
Petition for Releasing Body Camera of Breonna Taylor Shooting
After Breonna Taylor was killed in her home by Louisville police in March, there was huge public pressure demanding the release of body camera footage from the officers involved. A petition was created urging Kentucky’s attorney general to release the body camera videos, gaining over 50,000 signatures.
In May 2020, Taylor’s family attorneys announced they were allowed to review the police body camera footage due to the petition’s demands and public pressure. While the footage has not been released publicly, the petition succeeded in the first step of the family accessing the recordings.
This sample of influential petitions from 2020 illustrates the power of online activism to increase public awareness around issues and in some cases spur real change through police reform, corporate policies, government action and more. With smart strategy and persistence, petitions remain an important tool for driving social progress on today’s most pressing concerns.