The Value of Social Media

Former Genesis drummer and solo artist Phil Collins has considered himself more or less retired from the music business, but recently remarked that he may re-think that status.

In response, people who don't like Mr. Collins' music started a Change.org petition to prevent his unretiring. As of this writing, almost 4,000 people have signed it. Now, I don't think any of the people who signed the online petition are actually dumb enough to believe the United Nations -- its designated recipient -- can do anything to prevent Mr. Collins from recording and releasing new music or deciding to perform concerts. Although you never know about people who think online petitions matter in the slightest.

And while it's really sad that there are several thousand people unashamed to let the world know just how tacky they can be, it's not as though we're in danger of running out of tacky people any time soon. Some of the ones on the list might even have reproduced already.

This incident actually has a significant bright side, which is exposing how little value Change.org petitions have -- and saying no small thing about how little value social media has in producing real change in the world. The people who created this particular petition just wanted to make a mean little joke about a musician they think has had his day and from their point of view was not all that great when he was having it.

Real petitions are used to bring measures to public ballots or recall elected officials. Online petitions matter so little that one trying to censor a pop musician sits on the page next to one from Pakistan teen Malala Yousafzi asking a global education foundation to fund school for girls in impoverished countries that don't make female education much of a priority. And in case her name has slipped the brief attention spans of the online community, Ms. Yousafzi has had skin in the game of educating girls in cultures where that activity is looked down upon or outright opposed. The million-plus signatures on her petition reflect approval of her work and an awareness that she is invested in it.

Someone who circulated a physical petition, knocked on doors or gathered names at a Wal-Mart to get Phil Collins to stay retired would face questions like, "What's your problem? Don't you have enough to do? Why don't you try to do some good in the world?" Get asked that kind of thing enough and embarrassment can reach levels sufficient to clue in almost anyone not named Trump so they get the point and start doing something useful. But thanks to "the world's platform for change," a couple of clicks and some typing allow the same mean, tacky idea to help bring together a bunch of mean, tacky snickerers and face nary a query. This is definitely an instance in which a petitioner is more than free to keep his change.