We the People: File Government Petitions on the Go

The White House wants to hear from Americans, even when they’re on the go.

Its successful We The People  (opens in a new tab) platform has launched an updated mobile interface that makes it far easier to file a petition to the government from a smartphone or tablet.

Since September 2011, the website has become a rising power for citizens to gain governmental responses on national questions, issues, ideas, and concerns. The site has garnered more than 23 million users, almost half a million petitions, and nearly 33 million signatures, according to the White House’s Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman  (opens in a new tab).

Today we’ve launched a redesign of the White House petitions site to make it easier, fast and more accessible https://t.co/s6pNkZ8dCt  (opens in a new tab)

— J. Goldman -Archived (@Goldman44) April 21, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

But with an increasing number of internet users now accessing websites and platforms from their smartphones, the White House rebooted its We the People site  (opens in a new tab) to be more mobile-friendly.

“We made these changes because we think they’ll make using the site easier and more fun — but also because it’s our priority to continually evolve We the People toward the needs and aspirations of its community,” Goldman wrote in a press release published on Medium.

The White House’s digital team is a prime example  (opens in a new tab) of how an organization can look at current technological and communication changes and then incorporate them to better serve its audience.

“We made it simpler for more people to create and sign petitions from any device,” he wrote. “We built more guidance into the process of creating a petition so you could make yours the best petition possible.”

50 People on a Voice Call

This is interesting, an audio call with up to 50 people? Are there admin like mute controls or is this a “party”? https://t.co/W5HvrgMLXE  (opens in a new tab)

— Rami (@Ramisms) April 21, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

Facebook has no limits. On the off chance you may need to talk to 24, 36, or even 50 people, you can—thanks to Facebook Messenger-enabled group voice calling.

While there’s already Facebook at Work, could this free group calling option compete with conference calls? Or is it better for a party? Maybe test it out  (opens in a new tab).

Other Links of Note

Use the word “discover” instead of “learn.” Geoffrey James at Inc. shares  (opens in a new tab) five words smart entrepreneurs never use and alternatives that customers prefer.

Eavesdrop on relevant conversations taking place on social media. If you and your organization aren’t paying attention, it could hurt your brand, Darryl Villacorta writes over at CMSWire  (opens in a new tab).

Need promotion and support on social media? Have volunteers? There’s a way to leverage your volunteers to boost your social promotions, Content Marketing Manager Marry McAleavey says in a blog post at Wild Apricot  (opens in a new tab).

(Handout photo)