Notifications
CivicOS keeps you in the loop when something happens that concerns you — a response to your issue, a milestone on your petition, or an update from a representative you follow.
Where to find them
Click the 🔔 bell icon in the top nav. The number badge shows how many unread notifications you have.
The dropdown shows your most recent items. Click a notification to open the thing it refers to; clicking marks it as read.
Realtime updates
Notifications arrive in real time while you have CivicOS open — you'll see the bell badge tick up the moment something happens, no refresh needed. This is powered by a persistent connection to the server that stays alive for as long as your tab is open.
If you close the tab and come back later, unread notifications are still there — nothing gets lost.
What triggers a notification
You'll get notified when:
| Trigger | What you see |
|---|---|
| Someone comments on an issue you filed | "New comment on your issue" |
| An issue you filed changes status | "Issue status updated" — includes the new status |
| Someone comments on a petition you started | "New comment on your petition" |
| Someone signs your petition | "New signature on your petition" — with the current count / goal |
| Your petition hits 25 %, 50 %, or 100 % of its goal | "Petition milestone: 50%" |
| A representative you follow posts an official response | "New response from <name>" |
| Your representative or organization application is reviewed | "Application approved" / "Needs changes" / "Rejected" |
What doesn't notify you
To keep the noise down, CivicOS doesn't notify you when:
- Random citizens comment on a representative's page you also follow — only official responses trigger a notification.
- You're the person doing the action — you don't get pinged for your own comment, upvote, or signature.
- An issue in your community is filed by someone else — check the feed or the discover page for that.
Managing your notifications
- Mark all as read — click the button at the top of the bell dropdown.
- Mark one as read — clicking the notification opens the target and marks it read automatically.
- See everything — go to Profile → Notifications for the full list (up to 200).
Deep links
Every notification carries a deep link to the exact place the event happened — the specific comment, the milestone timeline, the representative's response section. Click and go straight there.