Do petitions actually have an affect or do they do just express that people want change?

Question

Do petitions actually have an affect or do they do just express that people want change?

In: Other

Answer 1

In the United States, the White House must respond to a petition that gathers 25,000 signatures in within 30 days. They are only obligated to respond, not act.

[In 2012 the White House responded to a petition requesting the government to construct a Star Wars style Death Star.](https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2485292/that-time-a-petition-to-build-a-real-death-star-got-so-big-the-white-house-had-to-respond)