OPINION: When do April Fools pranks go too far?

By Jackson Feldwick-Jones,
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

The biggest day for pranksters is just around the corner. According to Statistic Brain, 89 million people perform April Fools pranks each year. April Fools is a fun time for anybody who likes to mess with people, but when do April fools pranks go too far?

A classic whoopee cushion or telling a friend that their favorite sports team had a fire sale is all fun and games, but there are some things that should not be done.

A good golden rule is not to elicit an extreme emotion. For those with an especially dark sense of humor, that may not be a very fun rule to follow, but ultimately it is a good idea. The friend the prank is done to might not be friendly for much longer if they are made to cry in front of their entire family.

Causing extreme sadness is not the only emotion that is too far– causing a fake sense of happiness can be even worse. Falsely convincing your friend that Harvard is giving them a full-ride scholarship will definitely cause more grief to them than pleasure to you.

With friends pranks can have more leeway, but with family members caution should be taken. Telling your mother that you are pregnant or telling your father that you broke your neck in a car accident are both bad ideas.

Most people understand a good prank, but when a prank has serious effects on their life then it is not really a prank anymore. Use your own discretion and if you think to yourself that you should not do it, then you should not do it. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Finally, the most golden of rules: never prank someone by spoiling their favorite show.