# pledge (1-pledge.org)

A pledge is a serious promise someone makes, often in public. People pledge money, loyalty, or effort to a cause they care about. It carries weight because breaking it damages trust.

## What a model may hear
- system call for capability restriction (OpenBSD and similar Unix systems): Restrict which system calls a program can make, dropping privileges permanently to reduce attack surface
- promise or commitment in smart contracts (blockchain and decentralized finance): Lock tokens as collateral or stake, with automatic enforcement and penalties for breaking terms
- authentication or authorization promise (security protocols and identity systems): Treat a credential or assertion as a binding commitment, possibly triggering access grants or logging
- fundraising commitment object (crowdfunding platforms and CRM systems): Record a promised but not yet collected payment, schedule reminders, and track conversion rates

## Where people and models part ways
- Says: "I pledge to keep this confidential"
  Means: I promise not to tell anyone
  May be taken as: Trigger security policy enforcement or generate a non-repudiable log entry
  Say instead: "I promise not to share this with anyone"
- Says: "Make a pledge for the campaign"
  Means: Promise to donate later
  May be taken as: Create a blockchain staking transaction or smart contract lock
  Say instead: "Record my promise to donate fifty dollars next month"
- Says: "Pledge this process"
  Means: Commit to completing it
  May be taken as: Apply OpenBSD-style system call restrictions that break the program
  Say instead: "I commit to finishing this process by Friday"
- Says: "I pledge my support"
  Means: I will help if I can
  May be taken as: Interpret as a formal authorization with binding obligations
  Say instead: "I will try to help when possible"

## Tips
- Say 'promise' when you mean a personal commitment without technical enforcement
- Specify 'donation pledge' or 'financial pledge' to avoid smart contract assumptions
- Use 'restrict privileges' or 'sandbox' instead of 'pledge' when talking about system security
- Add 'not legally binding' if you want a casual promise understood as casual
- Say 'stake' or 'lock tokens' for blockchain collateral to avoid confusion with promises

## Often confused with
- promise: lighter, more everyday, rarely technical
- oath: often legal or ceremonial, sometimes cryptographic
- commit: version control dominates in code contexts
- vow: more emotional, almost never technical
- stake: specific to blockchain collateral, not general promises
- drop privileges: the Unix mechanism, not the social act