Like many of you, I have friends who send me email that focus on the various political discussions within our society. You know the kind of email I'm talking about: Why doesn't anyone who went to Columbia University during the same timeframe that Barack Obama was there remember the future President of the United States? That kind of stuff.

I received an email this morning from someone and the subject line read: America at Risk With Progressive Insurance Company.

This, of course, piqued my curiosity and I'm even more sure it has attracted the attention of the people charged with monitoring Progressive's social media presence. I later discovered versions of this email have been circulating for a year or more.

The email delves into the donations made by Peter Lewis, son of Progressive's co-founder, the current chairman of the board, and the company's largest stockholder. Lewis also is known as one of our country's leading benefactors of liberal causes, including the ACLU (gasp).

I like to check out the veracity of some of the political email my friends send me by visiting the normally reliable Website snopes.com. The report on this particular email came back stating the body of the story was true, although that certainly could be debated by some folks at Progressive, particularly the misleading subject line.

When people get on Facebook or Twitter and recount controversial measures taken by your company or people in your employ, it is important that your side be represented in the discussion. For Progressive, it's important that people know the causes backed by Lewis aren't being supported by corporate funds. They are being supported by a private citizen who has enough money that he can pretty much do what he pleases.

That doesn't make it easy for Progressive, but it certainly keeps them vigilant. Is your company being vigilant about what others are saying about you—true or untrue? It is easy to get stained by the same brush. In this case, first Progressive's corporate policies are attacked and then the industry as a whole.

Lewis is nearly 80 years old, so he's been supporting controversial causes for some time now. The folks at Progressive are no doubt used to it, but each time it crops up I'm sure they wish it would all go away. That, of course, is why monitoring your social media presence is so important.

I suppose there was a time in America when donating funds to the ACLU or supporting an initiative in Ohio to get medical marijuana on the ballot would not be looked at by some people as signs of treason—which was pretty much the tone of the email. You have to admire Lewis because he's never hidden his views on controversial subjects or causes and has never insisted on anonymity when making donations.

No matter what people think of Lewis and his politics—pro or con—the one thing we can all count on is another great American tradition: If you can sell a product for a cheaper price than your competitor sells it, the public will flock to your door. I'd say that's pretty much the story for Progressive, whether the principal stockholder is a flaming liberal or head of the local tea party.

But it pays to follow what other people are saying and writing about you.

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The Progressive from Progressive: Dealing With Social Media

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