In 2007, Facebook and other social networking sites were used as a channel to promote awareness of global issues.  Seeking mainstream attention and action, Facebook groups such as  ‘Support the Monks Protest in Burma’ were created.

In 2008, online petitions have become the catalyst and driving force behind global reform.  ePetitions are the holy grail of online campaigns: engaging and educating millions, creating an incentive to act, generating urgency, and translating online publicity into offline action.  Plus, the tools are free and make creating a petition simple and easy. 

Avaaz.org’s online petition to Stand with Tibet has achieved historic viral proportions, reaching 1 million signatories in just 7 days.  110 people sign the online petition every minute. The petition has created global awareness of the violence and oppression being inflicted on Tibetan protesters.  It requests that Chinese leaders and the Dalai Lama come to a peaceful resolution on the crisis taking place between independence-seeking Tibetans and the Chinese government.

Avaaz.org has increased its goal to 2 million signatories, a number that seemed unattainable until now.  To put this in context, Stand With Tibet has rapidly surpassed Barack Obama's One Million Strong for Barack facebook group, whose diehard follower’s created the group in April 2007 and has accumulated 506,666 members to date.

The political world is also using online petitions to stir up action in the 2008 presidential election.  A group called the Afrosphere Action Coalition has created a petition in an effort to stop Hilary Clinton's run for office.  The petition has reached 1050 signatories so far.

Of course, merely signing an ePetition will not resolve the conflicts in Tibet or stop Hilary Clinton from becoming the next President; however, online petitions are spotlighting and publicizing local issues and concerns in the international community.  Thanks to online petitions, world leaders such as President Hu Jintao of China will be under mounting pressure and strict scrutiny to ensure global justice and respect international human rights.