Deepaksuhag: Authored a new article draft.

2023-01-28T03:29:15Z

Authored a new article draft.

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{{short description|Nonprofit organization to promote global activism}}
{{update}}
{{Blacklisted-links|invisible=true}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Avaaz
| logo = [[File:Avaaz Logo en.png|Logo of Avaaz]]
| focus = Global community and political activism
| founded_date = {{start date and age|2007|1}}
| num_members = 68,000,000
| area_served = Worldwide
| homepage = [http://www.avaaz.org/en/ www.avaaz.org]
}}
'''Avaaz''' is a U.S.-based [[nonprofit organization]] launched in January 2007 that promotes global [[activism]] on issues such as [[climate change]], [[human rights]], [[animal rights]], corruption, poverty, and conflict. In 2012, ''[[The Guardian]]'' referred to Avaaz as "the globe's largest and most powerful online activist network".<ref>{{cite news|last= Pilkington|first= Ed|title= Avaaz faces questions over role at centre of Syrian protest movement|url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/02/avaaz-activist-group-syria|access-date= 27 November 2012|newspaper= The Guardian}}.</ref>

<div style="display:inline-table; vertical-align:top; max-width:400px;">
'''Click on a country name on the map to go to that name in the table'''
<onlyinclude>{{Image label begin|image=Map of European countries by percent of local Avaaz members.png|width=400|alt=Labelled map of European countries color coded by percent of Avaaz members}}
{{Image label small|x=0.2389|y=0.781|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 1|Andorra ↓]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5775|y=0.863|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 37|Albania]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.4930|y=0.685|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 8|Austria]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.6975|y=0.515|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 40|Belarus]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.2810|y=0.595|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 4|Belgium]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5792|y=0.779|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 34|B&H]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.7195|y=0.782|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 22|Bulgaria]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5700|y=0.734|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 26|Croatia]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5075|y=0.615|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 32|Czech Rep.]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.3775|y=0.487|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 21|Denmark]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5875|y=0.364|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 25|Estonia]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5875|y=0.285|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 28|Finland]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.2695|y=0.701|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 3|France]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.3995|y=0.582|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 13|Germany]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.7175|y=0.892|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 23|Greece]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5775|y=0.683|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 29|Hungary]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.1005|y=0.163|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 5|Iceland]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.0995|y=0.492|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 15|Ireland]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.4655|y=0.795|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 14|Italy]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.6155|y=0.411|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 24|Latvia]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5715|y=0.457|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 27|Lithuania]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.2075|y=0.628|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 2|Luxembourg→]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.6775|y=0.845|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 33|''Mac.'']]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5595|y=1.000|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 7|←Malta]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.7535|y=0.661|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 38|Moldova]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5775|y=0.83|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 36|''Mont.'']]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.2925|y=0.55|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 18|Netherlands]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.3975|y=0.32|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 20|Norway]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5475|y=0.567|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 30|Poland]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.0175|y=0.89|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 17|Portugal]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.6825|y=0.716|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 19|Romania]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.7975|y=0.32|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 39|Russia]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.6405|y=0.765|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 35|Serbia]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.5775|y=0.640|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 31|Slovakia]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.4655|y=0.719|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 11|Slovenia]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.1245|y=0.85|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 10|Spain]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.4925|y=0.382|scale=390|text=[[#Table row 12|Sweden]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.3675|y=0.699|scale=400|text= [[#Table row 6|Switz- erland]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.7575|y=0.6|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 41|Ukraine]]}}
{{Image label small|x=0.2025|y=0.499|scale=400|text=[[#Table row 16|United Kingdom]]}}
{{Image label end}}</onlyinclude>
</div>

<div style="display:inline-table; vertical-align: top; style="margin-top:0em;">
<div style="height:29em; overflow:auto; border:1px solid; padding-right:1.5em;">
{{Static row numbers}}
{{Import-blanktable}}
{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers tpl-blanktable" style="margin-top:0em; text-align:right;"
|+ [[Avaaz]] members by percent of population. The list can be scrolled manually or interactively.
|-
!Country!!Population!!Avaaz!!{{abbr|%|Percent}}
|-
! !! !! !! 
|- id="Table row 1"
| style=text-align:left |Andorra||85,000||3,316|| style="background-color:white"|  3.90
|- id="Table row 2"
| style=text-align:left |Luxembourg||498,000||14,228|| style="background-color:#F0F0F0"|  2.86
|- id="Table row 3"
| style=text-align:left |France||64,768,000||1,827,517|| style="background-color:#F0F0F0"|  2.82
|- id="Table row 4"
| style=text-align:left |Belgium||10,423,000||292,530|| style="background-color:#F0F0F0"|  2.81
|- id="Table row 5"
| style=text-align:left |Iceland||309,000||7,667|| style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2.48
|- id="Table row 6"
| style=text-align:left |Switzerland||7,623,000||182,814|| style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|2.40
|- id="Table row 7"
| style=text-align:left |Malta||407,000||9,129|| style="background-color:#D5D5D5"|2.24
|- id="Table row 8"
| style=text-align:left |Austria||8,214,000||167,132|| style="background-color:#D5D5D5"|2.03
|- id="Table row 9"
| style=text-align:left |Liechtenstein||36,000||718|| style="background-color:#B4B4B4"|1.99
|- id="Table row 10"
| style=text-align:left |Spain||46,506,000||810,680|| style="background-color:#B4B4B4"|1.74
|- id="Table row 11"
| style=text-align:left |Slovenia||2,003,000||27,780|| style="background-color:#B4B4B4"|1.39
|- id="Table row 12"
| style=text-align:left |Sweden||9,074,000||125,248|| style="background-color:#B4B4B4"|1.38
|- id="Table row 13"
| style=text-align:left |Germany||81,644,000||1,082,972|| style="background-color:#8B8B8B"|1.33
|- id="Table row 14"
| style=text-align:left |Italy||60,749,000||796,634|| style="background-color:#8B8B8B"|1.31
|- id="Table row 15"
| style=text-align:left |Ireland||4,623,000||58,504|| style="background-color:#8B8B8B"|1.27
|- id="Table row 16"
| style=text-align:left |United Kingdom||62,348,000||781,025|| style="background-color:#8B8B8B"|1.25
|- id="Table row 17"
| style=text-align:left |Portugal||10,736,000||132,219|| style="background-color:#8B8B8B"|1.23
|- id="Table row 18"
| style=text-align:left |Netherlands||16,574,000||191,608|| style="background-color:#8B8B8B"|1.16
|- id="Table row 19"
| style=text-align:left |Romania||21,959,000||211,867|| style="background-color:#8B8B8B"|0.96
|- id="Table row 20"
| style=text-align:left |Norway||4,676,000||36,483|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.78
|- id="Table row 21"
| style=text-align:left |Denmark||5,516,000||41,377|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.75
|- id="Table row 22"
| style=text-align:left |Bulgaria||7,149,000||52,296|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.73
|- id="Table row 23"
| style=text-align:left |Greece||10,750,000||78,874|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.73
|- id="Table row 24"
| style=text-align:left |Latvia||2,218,000||14,967|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.67
|- id="Table row 25"
| style=text-align:left |Estonia||1,291,000||8,535|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.66
|- id="Table row 26"
| style=text-align:left |Croatia||4,487,000||28,950|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.65
|- id="Table row 27"
| style=text-align:left |Lithuania||3,545,000||21,721|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.61
|- id="Table row 28"
| style=text-align:left |Finland||5,255,000||28,836|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.55
|- id="Table row 29"
| style=text-align:left |Hungary||9,992,000||51,684|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.52
|- id="Table row 30"
| style=text-align:left |Poland||38,464,000||162,643|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.42
|- id="Table row 31"
| style=text-align:left |Slovakia||5,470,000||22,588|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.41
|- id="Table row 32"
| style=text-align:left |Czech Republic||10,202,000||39,358|| style="background-color:#676767"|0.39
|- id="Table row 33"
| style=text-align:left |Macedonia||2,072,000||3847|| style="background-color:#414141"|0.19
|- id="Table row 34"
| style=text-align:left |Bosnia and Herz.||4,622,000||8,436|| style="background-color:#414141"|0.18
|- id="Table row 35"
| style=text-align:left |Serbia||7,345,000||12,369|| style="background-color:#414141"|0.17
|- id="Table row 36"
| style=text-align:left |Montenegro||667,000||1,101|| style="background-color:#414141"|0.17
|- id="Table row 37"
| style=text-align:left |Albania||2,987,000||3,300|| style="background-color:#414141"|0.11
|- id="Table row 38"
| style=text-align:left |Moldova||3,732,000||2,134|| style="background-color:#1E1E1E"|0.06
|- id="Table row 39"
| style=text-align:left |Russia||139,390,000||62,932|| style="background-color:#1E1E1E"|0.05
|- id="Table row 40"
| style=text-align:left |Belarus||9,613,000||2,643|| style="background-color:#1E1E1E"|0.03
|- id="Table row 41"
| style=text-align:left |Ukraine||45,416,000||13,002|| style="background-color:#1E1E1E"|0.03
|}
</div></div>

The name chosen for the community is a [[Romanization]] of a word meaning "voice" in Persian and various languages, such as
Hindi [[wikt:आवाज़#Hindi|आवाज़]] and Urdu [[wikt:آواز#Urdu|آواز]].<ref>
{{cite book
|last= Platts
|first= John T.
|title= A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English
|year= 1884
|entry= आवाज़
|entry-url= http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=platts&query=आवाज़&matchtype=exact&display=utf8
|location= London
|publisher= W. H. Allen & co.
}}</ref><ref>
{{cite book
|last= Platts
|first= John T.
|title= A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English
|year= 1884
|entry=آواز
|entry-url= http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=platts&query=آواز&matchtype=exact&display=utf8
|location= London
|publisher= W. H. Allen & co.
}}</ref>


==Cofounders==
===Groups===
Avaaz.org was co-founded by [[Res Publica (US)|Res Publica]], a "community of public sector professionals dedicated to promoting good governance, civic virtue and deliberative democracy",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://therespublica.org/ |title=Res Publica: Bürger machen Politik |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728100532/http://www.therespublica.org/ |archive-date=28 July 2011 }}</ref> and [[MoveOn.org]], an American non-profit progressive public policy advocacy group.<ref name=about2008/><ref name=Economist2007>{{cite news|url=http://www.economist.com/node/8703047/print?story_id=8703047|title=Wakey-wakey|newspaper=[[The Economist]]}}</ref> It was also supported by [[Service Employees International Union]], a founding partner.

===Individuals===
Avaaz's individual co-founders include [[Ricken Patel]], Tom Pravda, former Virginia congressman [[Tom Perriello]], MoveOn Executive Director [[Eli Pariser]], Australian entrepreneur [[David Madden (Australia)|David Madden]], [[Jeremy Heimans]] (co-founders of Purpose.com), and Andrea Woodhouse.<ref name="about2008">{{cite web|url=http://www.avaaz.org/en/about.php |title=About Us |access-date=17 October 2007 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110084550/http://www.avaaz.org/en/about.php |archive-date=2008-01-10 }}</ref>

===Leadership===
Avaaz's founding President and former CEO is the [[Canadian-British]] Ricken Patel.<ref name=Economist2007/> He studied PPE ([[politics, philosophy, economics]]) at [[Balliol College]], [[Oxford University]]. He received a Master's degree in Public Policy from [[Harvard University]]. He worked for the [[International Crisis Group]] around the world, including in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Sudan and Afghanistan, where he says "he learnt how to bring rebel forces to the negotiation table, to monitor elections (covertly), to restore public faith in once corrupt political systems and to spot when foreign forces were being manipulated". He returned to the USA and volunteered for MoveOn.org, where he learned how to use online tools for activism.<ref name=times>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/48808533/The-Times-profile-of-Avaaz-and-Ricken-Patel-Feb-9-2011|title=The Times profile of Avaaz and Ricken Patel|first=Sarah|last= Bentley|work=[[The Times]]}}</ref>

==Funding, campaigns selection process and management==
"Since 2009, Avaaz has not taken donations from foundations or corporations, nor has it accepted payments of more than $5,000 (£3,100)", ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported. "Instead, it relies simply on the generosity of individual members, who have now raised over $20m (£12.4m)."<ref name=slacktivism>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/20/avaaz-activism-slactivism-clicktivism|title=Avaaz: activism or 'slacktivism'?|first=Patrick |last=Kingsley|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> Prior to 2009, various foundations had funded Avaaz's staff and start-up costs.<ref name=bbc-20120229>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17199253 |title=Profile: Global campaign group Avaaz |work=BBC News |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref>

===Global campaigns selection process===
Avaaz global campaigns are managed by a team of campaigners working from over 30 countries, including the UK, India, Lebanon and Brazil. They communicate with members via email, and employ campaigning tactics including online public [[petition]]s, videos, and email-your-leader tools. In some cases Avaaz also uses advertisements and commissions legal advice to clarify how best to take a campaign forward,<ref name=slacktivism/> and stages "sit-ins, rallies, phone-ins and media friendly stunts".<ref name=times/> Examples of stunts include "taking a herd of cardboard pigs to the doors of the World Health Organization to demand an investigation into the link between swine flu and giant pig farms and creating a three-mile human chain handshake from the Dalai Lama to the doors of the Chinese Embassy in London to request dialogue between the parties".<ref name=times/>

Suggestions for campaigns come from members, supplemented by guidance from teams of specialists. Once a suggestion has been taken up as having potential, tester emails are polled to 10,000 Avaaz members; if the emails receive a sufficient response, the campaign is opened up to all Avaaz members.<ref name=slacktivism/> In 2010, ''[[The Economist]]'' suggested that "the way Avaaz bunches unlikely causes together may be an asset in a world where campaigns, like race and class, can still segregate people, not reconcile them".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.economist.com/node/16943875?story_id=16943875|title=A town crier in the global village|newspaper=[[The Economist]]}}</ref>

==Ideology==
Avaaz claims to unite [[practical idealism|practical idealists]] from around the world.<ref name=times/> Former director Ricken Patel said in 2011: "We have no ideology per se. Our mission is to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want. Idealists of the world unite!"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/apr/24/avaaz-activist-network-rupert-murdoch|title=Avaaz – the online activist network that is targeting Rupert Murdoch's bid|first=Ed |last=Pilkington |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>
In practice, Avaaz often supports causes considered progressive, such as calling for global [[climate change mitigation|action on climate change]], challenging Monsanto, and building greater global support for refugees.<ref name=time-20140922>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/nyregion/new-york-city-climate-change-march.html?_r=0|title=Taking a Call for Climate Change to the Streets |first=Lisa |last=Foderaro |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=28 September 2016}}</ref><ref name=time-20160806>{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.eu/article/europes-weedkiller-wars-glyphosate-roundup-who-european-commission/ |title=How grassroots lobbying push blindsided Monsanto |first1=Jenny |last1=Hopkinson |first2=Giulia |last2=Paravicini |publisher=Politico |access-date=28 September 2016}}</ref><ref name=time-20160330>{{cite news |url=http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2016/3/56fb98dc3/un-secretary-general-says-help-needed-syrian-refugees.html |title=UN Secretary General says more help needed for Syrian refugees |first=Karin |last=de Grujil |publisher=UNHCR |access-date=28 September 2016}}</ref>

During the [[2009 Iranian presidential election protests]], Avaaz set up Internet [[proxy server]]s to allow protesters to upload videos onto public websites.<ref name=time-20120315>{{cite magazine |url=http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2109212,00.html |title=How a New York City-Based Activist Group Became a Player in Syria |first=Vivienne |last=Walt |magazine=Time |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref>

Avaaz supported the establishment of a [[no-fly zone]] over Libya, which led to the [[2011 military intervention in Libya|military intervention in the country]] in 2011. It was criticized for its pro-intervention stance in the media and blogs.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hilary|first=John|title=Internet activists should be careful what they wish for in Libya|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/10/internet-activists-libya-no-fly-zone|access-date=8 November 2016|work=The Guardian}}</ref>

Avaaz supported the [[Civil uprising phase of the Syrian Civil War|civil uprising preceding the Syrian Civil War]]. This included sending $1.5 million of Internet communications equipment to protesters, and training activists. Later it used smuggling routes to send over $2 million of medical equipment into rebel-held areas of Syria. It also smuggled 34 international journalists into Syria.<ref name=bbc-20120229/><ref name=guardian-20120302>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/02/avaaz-activist-group-syria |title=Avaaz faces questions over role at centre of Syrian protest movement |first=Ed |last=Pilkington |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref> Avaaz coordinated the evacuation of wounded British photographer [[Paul Conroy (journalist)|Paul Conroy]] from [[Homs]]. Thirteen Syrian activists died during the evacuation operation.<ref name=bbc-20120229/><ref name=npr-20120314>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/03/13/148542026/aid-groups-role-in-syria-pushes-limits |title=Aid Group's Role In Syria Pushes Limits |first=Deborah |last=Amos |publisher=National Public Radio |access-date=10 October 2016}}</ref> Some senior members of other non-governmental organizations working in the Middle East have criticized Avaaz for taking sides in a civil war.<ref name=time-20120315/> As of November 2016, Avaaz continues campaigning for no-fly zones over Syria in general and specifically [[Aleppo]]. (Gen. Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, has said that establishing a no-fly zone means going to war against Syria and Russia.<ref name=Dunford>{{cite news |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmE9Jj-rEVs |title=No-fly zone would 'require war with Syria and Russia' – top US general}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links}}</ref>) It has received criticism from parts of the political [[blogosphere]] and has a single digit percentage of its users opposing the petitions, with a number of users ultimately leaving the network. The Avaaz team responded to this criticism by issuing two statements defending their decision to campaign.

In the [[2016 United States presidential election]], Avaaz campaigned against [[Donald Trump]] with the slogan "Defeat Donald Trump", and produced a software tool to simplify overseas voter registration.<ref name=wp-20160916>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/09/16/online-activists-say-this-group-could-swing-the-presidential-election/ |title=Online activists say this group could swing the presidential election |first=Steven | last=Overly |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=23 September 2016}}</ref>

Avaaz opposed [[21st Century Fox]]'s bid to take over the pan-European broadcasting company [[Sky plc]]. As part of this campaign, Avaaz brought [[Wendy Walsh]], a woman who alleges she was sexually harassed at Fox News, to London in May 2017 to testify to British media regulator [[Ofcom]].<ref>{{Cite web|title='Block Fox bid for Sky', says ex-guest claiming harassment|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39849576|website=BBC}}</ref> In September 2017, Avaaz took legal action in the British [[High Court of Justice]], by seeking a judicial review of the regulator [[Ofcom]]'s decision not to recommend rejection of the takeover.<ref name=variety-20170929>{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/group-opposed-fox-sky-takeover-files-legal-challenge-against-regulator-decision-1202576255/ |title=Group Opposed to Fox-Sky Takeover Files Legal Challenge Against British Regulator |last=Mitchell |first=Robert |work=Variety |access-date=24 October 2017}}</ref> Bloomberg described Avaaz as "the fly in the ointment of Murdoch's Sky bid".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hellier|first=David|title=The Fly in the Ointment of Murdoch's Sky Bid|work=Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-14/murdoch-s-bid-delay-spotlights-role-of-little-known-activists|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> When Mr Murdoch withdrew his Sky bid, Ian Burrell commented that it "represents a victory for the civic activist group Avaaz, which has relentlessly campaigned against a takeover which seemed inevitable".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ian|first=Burrell|title=Fox Disney deal positions House of Mouse as major UK news player|work=iNews|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/media/fox-disney-deal-positions-house-mouse-major-uk-news-player-111357|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref>

==Monsanto subpoena==
In January 2018, [[Monsanto]] requested Avaaz hand over all documents the organization held in relation to [[glyphosate]].<ref name="Guardian Monsanto Subpoena Request">{{cite web |last1=Neslen |first1=Arthur |title=Monsanto demands Avaaz hands over all of its campaign data |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/feb/23/monsanto-demands-avaaz-hands-over-all-of-its-campaign-data |website=The Guardian |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref> Lawyers for the company said they planned to use the documentation in their defense during an upcoming court case involving two plaintiffs in Missouri who say their cancer was caused by exposure to Monsanto's "Roundup" herbicide.<ref name="DTE Monsanto Defeat">{{cite web |last1=Varshney |first1=Vibha |title=US court quashes Monsanto's 'undemocratic' plea to Avaaz to hand over internal documents |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/governance/us-court-quashes-monsanto-s-undemocratic-plea-to-avaaz-to-hand-over-internal-documents-61551 |website=DownToEarth.org |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="Guardian Monsanto Subpoena Request" /><ref name="Taz Monsanto defeat">{{cite news |title=Sieg gegen Monsanto |url=http://taz.de/Pestizidfirma-wollte-Papiere-von-Avaaz/!5533969/ |newspaper=Die Tageszeitung: Taz |publisher=taz.de |access-date=8 September 2018|last1=Maurin |first1=Jost }}</ref> Avaaz argued that a successful subpoena would result in a "[[chilling effect]]" on the group's work.<ref name="Guardian Monsanto Subpoena Request" />

On September 5, 2018, a New York judge sided with Avaaz. The judge stated that the subpoena "risked 'chilling' free speech and political activity",<ref name="Law360 Monsanto Defeat">{{cite web |last1=Newsham |first1=Jack |title=Monsanto Can't Round Up Chemical Docs From Advocacy Org |url=https://www.law360.com/lifesciences/articles/1080321/monsanto-can-t-round-up-chemical-docs-from-advocacy-org |website=Law360 |access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref> and argued that Monsanto's request was "anti-democratic".<ref name="Taz Monsanto defeat" />

== Reception ==
Some question whether Avaaz's focus on online petitions and email campaigns may encourage laziness, transforming potential [[activism]] into [[clicktivism]].<ref name=slacktivism/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104302141|title=Foreign Policy: Brave New World Of Slacktivism|author=Evgeny Morozov|publisher=[[NPR]]}}</ref> [[Malcolm Gladwell]] says that petition tools do not create "close-knit, disciplined and tenacious" networks of activists.<ref name=moreintelligentlife>{{cite journal|url=https://www.1843magazine.com/content/features/robert-butler/man-behind-avaaz?page=full |title=The man behind Avaaz |journal=[[1843 (magazine)|1843]] |first=Robert |last=Butler |issue=May/June 2013 |access-date=4 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/small-change-malcolm-gladwell|title=Small Change|first=Malcolm |last=Gladwell|magazine=The New Yorker}}</ref> In February 2012, Avaaz raised money for the evacuation of [[Paul Conroy (journalist)|Paul Conroy]] from Syria, a mission that led to the deaths of 13 activists in Syria.<ref name=moreintelligentlife/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/feb/28/syrian-activists-paul-conroy-mission|title=Syrian activists killed in Paul Conroy rescue mission|first=Peter|last= Beaumont|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> A ''[[The New Republic|New Republic]]'' article accused Avaaz of making false claims about their own role in the evacuation.<ref name=moreintelligentlife/><ref>{{cite magazine|last=van Zuylen-Wood|first=Simon|title=The Great Escape: Has One NGO Been Lying About Its Role in Syria?|magazine=The New Republic|url=http://www.tnr.com/article/world/103330/syria-avaaz-activist-group-journalism|access-date=9 September 2012}}</ref> [[Jillian York]] has accused Avaaz of arrogance and lack of transparency.<ref>{{cite web|last=York|first=Jillian|title=On Avaaz|url=http://jilliancyork.com/2012/05/29/on-avaaz/|access-date=9 September 2012}}</ref> The ''Defensor Da Natureza''{{'s}} blog has accused Avaaz of taking credit for the success of the [[Ficha Limpa]] anti-corruption bill in Brazil, which Luis Nassif reposted.<ref>{{cite web|title=Petições da Avaaz rendem milhões de dólares. As campanhas são sérias ou é golpe na internet?|url=http://ra-bugio.blogspot.com.br/2011/02/peticoes-da-avaaz-rendem-milhoes-de.html|publisher=Defensor da Natureza|access-date=16 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Nassif|first=Luis|title=Avaaz, golpe ou verdade?|url=http://advivo.com.br/blog/luisnassif/avaaz-golpe-ou-verdade|access-date=17 January 2013}}</ref>

In 2008, Canadian conservative minister [[John Baird (Canadian politician)|John Baird]] labeled Avaaz a "shadowy foreign organization" tied to billionaire [[George Soros]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/09/20/kevin-libin-the-third-party-no-one-talks-about/ |title=Kevin Libin: The third party no one talks about |first=Kevin |last=Libin |newspaper=[[National Post]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709093050/http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/09/20/kevin-libin-the-third-party-no-one-talks-about/ |archive-date=9 July 2012 }}</ref>

Another Canadian, conservative media personality [[Ezra Levant]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/billionaire-soros-threatening-to-sue-sun-media/article1711183/|title=Billionaire Soros threatening to sue Sun Media |first=Steven |last=Chase|newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]]}}</ref> tried to make a link between Soros and Avaaz.org as an indirect supporter through [[MoveOn]], but the article was later retracted as baseless and an apology was offered to Soros.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/09/01/15216861.html|title=Anti-Sun TV News campaign in U.S.|first=Brian|last= Lilley, [[QMI Agency]] Parliamentary Bureau|newspaper=[[Toronto Sun]]|quote=Avaaz is backed by MoveOn.org a lobby group that has taken millions of dollars from currency speculator George Soros.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/tag/george-soros-controls-the-world/|title=Avaaz.ca vs. Baird: The Shadowy Foreign Organization strikes back!|author=kadyomalley}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.torontosun.com/comment/2010/09/17/15388356.html|title=Retraction and apology to George Soros|newspaper=[[Toronto Sun]]}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Internet activism]]
* [[Slacktivism]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.avaaz.org/en/ AVAAZ home page]
*{{YouTube|u=avaazorg|{{PAGENAMEBASE}}}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.vimeo.com/369614|title=Avaaz.org's Ricken Patel on BBC World's HARDtalk}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Avaaz.Org}}
[[Category:Organizations established in 2007]]
[[Category:Internet-based activism]]
[[Category:Human rights organizations]]
[[Category:International political websites]]
[[Category:American political websites]]
[[Category:Left-wing advocacy groups]]
[[Category:Left-wing activism]]
[[Category:Online petitions]]
[[Category:International organizations based in the United States]]

Avaaz - Revision history

Deepaksuhag: Authored a new article draft.