Sign the Pledge

Q: What is “The Social Pledge”?

A:  The Social Pledge is a voluntary commitment to avoid profanity on social networking sites such as Facebook, My Space, and Twitter and encourage your “friends” and “followers” to do the same.

I had always found it difficult to say to a friend on one of my social pages – “hey knock it off” but this is the same Facebook page that I allow my family and relatives to read, as well as, potential colleges and employers. By simply informing a friend: “I am a member of THE SOCIAL PLEDGE” my friends will understand I don’t want my circle of friends reading that kind of language. Therefore, he has to clean it up, or I drop him/her as one of my friends, without embarrassment.

Q: What is the point in doing this?

A: Two reasons; 1. You will be helping to reverse the coarsening of our culture that many people believe is harming this country.  Somehow, profanity just seems uglier when it is in print.  2.  What you say or post on these sites may come back to haunt you.

Q: How?

A: If you write it and post it, it can exist forever.  It may hurt you when being considered for college, by a prospective employer, or a future relationship, or maybe during a run for political office.  You would be surprised how some things have a way of popping up when people start digging.

Q: You mean there are some people who might want to hurt you?

A: Sadly, this happens every day.  We heard of one example where two high school girls with similar grades and resumes were applying to the same college.  When one was accepted and the other was not, the mother of the rejected girl sent a transcript of an embarrassing Facebook conversation to the college Dean with words to effect of: “You should know what your newest student is REALLY like!”   Anyone who follows politics know what the words “opposition research “ mean.  For those of you who may not know, it means people will dig into your past trying to uncover anything and everything that may hurt or embarrass you.  Do not  give them ammunition.

Q: WHERE CAN I SIGN YOUR PLEDGE?

A: click here The Social Pledge

If you would like, let us have the name of your school and we will be happy to contact them to tell them about what we are trying to accomplish. Our goal is to get 1 Million High School Students to sign our pledge.

Q: Where can I get more information?

A: info@thesocialpledge.com

Bill Frank, Senior, Class of 2010