One who pleads, intercedes, speaks for, or disseminates information intended to influence individual behaviour or opinion, corporate conduct, public policy, law, etc. It can or cannot be on behalf of another. Anyone can be an advocate, from a brother standing up for a sibling, to a legislator trying to rally support to pass a bill. Advocacy can occurs in the context of activities intended to educate and inform, such as human rights advocacy; simply persuade groups of people to follow a given path, such as political campaign groups trying to influence voting patterns; and at other times can even be considered a political activity; such as advocating for the elimination of the death penalty. While the term is embedded with connotations referring to the democratic principals on which it rests, both commercial lobbying groups and environmental NGO's should be understood as being similar in that they both advocate.