Petitions are even giving a false sense of accomplishment as those people signing it think they have made a contribution to the political process - while in the end achieving absolutely nothing.

Even worse, they allow government to show how engaged and open they are by listening to the voice of the people. All for the cost of having some intern draft sugar coated "everything is gonna be alright" responses.

Media coverage of petitions such as the death start or the Piers Morgan controversy even enforce the perception, that petitions are not more than a bad joke to give "some weirdos" a place to voice their "problems".