Advocacy groups in the recent years have become popular and very effective. Advocacy groups are also known as lobby groups, pressure groups, interest groups and also special interest groups. Advocacy is the use of different means to influence the opinion of the public or its policy. Advocacy groups have managed to play an important role in the casting of the social system and the political system.
The size, motive, influence and purpose of an advocacy group varies from cause to cause. Their causes range from political to moral, charities, commercial and faith related. Different advocacy groups have been using and innovating new ways to achieve their causes which include means such as media campaigns, lobbying, polls, publicity stunts, research and other such techniques. A few groups are supported by political interests and businesses. Advocacy groups have singe gotten the wrong meaning in the eyes of people who have taken advocacy groups to all be related to politics and businesses. They have been accused of and found guilty of manipulating the system of democracy for commercial profits. This has led people to believe that all advocacy groups are scams. There are many advocacy groups that have developed into political/social institutions and movements. Advocacy groups have the power and the support to use civil disobedience and direct action to support their cause. These groups are considered a threat to the government or the social order. There are numerous advocacy groups that are funded by businesses that try to bring about a change in the way the government is run for financial gains or as a way to increase publicity. It has also been accuse of being used as a public relations tool. Some of the major types of advocacy groups are Anti-defamation groups, watchdog groups, lobby groups, legal defense groups, charity groups, etc.