In the information
superhighway, netiquette (internet etiquette) are the rules of the road. Just as etiquette is
a code of polite behavior in society, netiquette is a code of good behavior on
the Internet. This includes
several aspects of the Internet such as email, social media, online chat, web forums, website comments, multiplayer
gaming, and other types of online communication. While there is no official
list of netiquette guidelines, the general idea is to respect others online.
The
Internet provides a sense of anonymity since you often do not see or hear the
people with whom you are communicating online. But that is not an excuse for
having poor manners or posting distasteful comments. Good netiquette benefits
both you and others on the Internet. Posting a positive comment rather than a
negative one just might make someone's day.
Netiquette helps you become better understood, and creates a positive online reputation that will lead you to more lasting and meaningful connections. Communication clues of body language, voice tone, and immediate listener feedback are all absent with the written word on the Internet. All this needs to be taken into consideration both when contributing information and when reading it. Keep in mind the few netiquette tips below:
Don't email large files-
You
might think that sequence of nature pictures with inspirational statements is
wonderfully moving. It might even give you a sense of serenity. That
is the last thing it will give the person you email it to if it crashes their
server, or depletes their inbox quota. Post large files to your own space
and send people a link.
Don't attach it to an email. If you reply to a
message, delete all but the most recent correspondence from the sender. Otherwise,
the message gets very long. One of you will be upset if you have to print
it out one day, and the whole conversation uses up 20 pages.
Fact check before reposting-
That
cure for cancer might sound pretty impressive, but it will just cause upset if
it is a hoax. Urban myths add to the noise of the Internet (and waste
people's time). If you aren't sure of the facts, email it to someone who
does know, can find out, or do a search on Google or snopes.com.
Don't forget
that many viruses are circulated via chain letters and invitations to send some
seemingly pertinent piece of information to ten of your friends, or everyone in
your address book. Don't be naive. Forwarding that message will not bring
you good luck, just bad karma.
Remember that your digital
footprint can be tracked-Even if you write under a
made-up name; things you write can easily be traced back to you. Don’t think
that you won’t be found out if you write nasty comments about somebody in a
forum. It can’t be easily remedied by deleting them. Your activities online
leave data that may be stored and can be retrieved. Always be a decent and
responsible person.
Respect people's
privacy- Don't forward information sent to
you without checking with the original sender first. Use BCC (blind carbon
copy) rather than CC (carbon copy) if you are sending something out to more
than one person. You might think that everyone is friends online, but your
friends may not want their names (or email addresses) publicized to people they
do not even know.
The same goes for uploading photos or videos that
include other people to public space or sending them out to your own
contacts. Remember, if you tag people on Facebook others can access pictures of those people (unless they
have adjusted their privacy settings). Don't sign up for newsletters (and other
communications) using someone else's email address.
Respond to emails
promptly- By all means, ignore and delete
spam, unsolicited messages, and crazy stuff. If you have given someone
your email address or if you are in a position where people could reasonably be
expected to contact you by email and your email address is public, have the
courtesy to reply to their message within a few days.
If it is going to take longer to reply, email them
and tell them that. Don't simply ignore a question because you don't want
to give the answer. You can write back saying that it is a difficult
question, and they might be better off seeking the information elsewhere.
Share
with discretion-Avoid sending
pornographic (or obscene) pictures, drug use pictures, or
unedited home video. If you would have a problem with someone seeing it
now (or at any point in the future), don't post it online. The same goes for
phone conversations in public places. Just because you can't see the
person you are talking to doesn't mean everyone around you can't see and hear
you.
Update online
information- Don't leave inaccurate
information online just because you can't be bothered to update your
website. If you are going to be unavailable, for example, don't leave your
hours of operation online indicating you will be available. If you
can't keep your website up to date, take it down.
Use
respectful language- If you wouldn’t
name-call, curse, or express deliberately offensive opinions to others in
person then don't write it on any social media site, forum, chat room, or email
message. If you think it can't be traced back to you, you’re wrong. It's not
just what you say, but how you say it. Use the shift key for capital
letters (or write in all lower case), but don't use the caps lock. Writing
in all capitols is generally perceived as yelling. Don't forget to say
please and thank you as is appropriate.
“To make a simple
change of a typeface can instantly transform text which had the appearance and
tone of a joyous announcement to suddenly convey that of a somber tragedy.” (Paul Babicki)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“10 Basic Rules of Netiquette or
Internet Etiquette” By Elizabeth Hartney
·
“5 simple principles of proper netiquette” by Live & Learn
·
“7 Rules for Online Etiquette” by
Achieve Virtual
·
“Netiquette” by TechTerms
·
“Online Etiquette” by Centenary University
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