NETIQUETTE

Netiquette                 

Netiquette is a combination of the words network and etiquette, and is defined as a set of rules for acceptable online behavior. Similarly, online ethics focuses on the acceptable use of online resources in an online social environment.

Why Do People Use Netiquette?

Just like any form of communication, the Internet is a community that has its own form of etiquette. Internet etiquette is also known as "netiquette." Netiquette should be used during email, social networking sites, and even instant messaging or chat rooms. Like any other form of communication, the Internet has rules and guidelines for what is considered acceptable behavior.

Significance

Knowing proper netiquette is extremely important during the information age, especially during business communications. Nonverbal communication is limited on the internet, with web chats being one of the few ways to express nonverbal communication which accounts for 80% of how communication is interpreted. Because the internet lacks body language or facial expressions, the feeling of a statement can often be misconstrued.

Features

Netiquette involves careful word placement and expression, as well as the "nonverbal" language of the net. Emoticons are often used to express nonverbal communication where it does not exist. Emoticons usually follow a sentence to express emotion. Examples of emoticons:

:-) These three characters represent a smiling face when rotated by 90 degrees. ;-) This winking smile means the remark was flirtatious or even sarcastic :-( The frowning character suggests sadness :-I This character expresses apathy :-P This can either be considered playful or disgusted This usually means "grin" ROTFL This means "rolling on the floor laughing" LOL This is famously used as "laugh out loud" BTW This is a short version of "by the way" IMHO This means "in my humble opinion".

Function

Netiquette is not only for the purpose of adding a "human" element to the Internet, it is also used to make communication more efficient. One must say what they mean and say it with care. Proofread your messages. Spelling is the most apparent reflection of one's intelligence on the Internet. Intelligence and education is judged by spelling, grammar, punctuation, and message clarity. Along with spelling, consecutive capitalization should be used sparingly. Using all caps is usually interpreted as a person shouting.

Benefits

Netiquette helps users develop and maintain relationships, whether business or personal. It also helps keep group conversations constructive and friendly. Everything online that can be traced to you through a search engine is part of what's known as your "online footprint." Using netiquette helps you make sure your online footprint reflects well on you.

Effects

The effects of netiquette depend on where you use it. If you are using netiquette at work, you are safely maintaining your business relationships. If you are applying netiquette when talking to friends or acquaintances, you are being courteous enough to proofread your words and not forward spam. If you are using netiquette to increase your web presence, you are building a positive reputation for yourself.

The Basic Rules 

1. Refrain from personal abuse. You may express robust disagreement with what someone says, but don't call them names or threaten them with personal violence.
2. Don't spam. That is, don't repeatedly post the same advertisement for products or services. Most sites have strict and specific rules about who is allowed to post ads and what kind of ads they are.
3. Write clearly and succinctly. On a site that has many non-native English speakers, avoid using slang they may not understand.
4. Remember that your posts are public. They can be read by your partner, your children, your parents, or your employer.
5. Stay on-topic, especially when you're new. Don't post about football in a hair-care forum or about hair care in a gardening forum!
6. Don't expect other people to do your homework for you. If you're looking for technical help, for example, don't ask questions you could easily answer yourself by reading the manual or online help provided with the product. When you do ask for help, include details of what attempts you've made to solve the problem. It will save time and also show people that you are making an effort to help yourself.
7. Do not post copyrighted material to which you do not own the rights. Sites vary in how strict they are about this, but as well as facing the possibility of legal action by the rights holder, you may also get the site sued.
8. The site's owner, perhaps assisted by one or more moderators, has the final say in enforcing the rules.

Core Rules of Netiquette

Rule 1: Remember the Human

 When communicating electronically, whether through email, instant message, discussion post, text, or some other method, practice the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Remember, your written words are read by real people, all deserving of respectful communication. Before you press "send" or "submit," ask yourself, "Would I be okay with this if someone else had written it?"

Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life

While it can be argued that standards of behavior may be different in the virtual world, they certainly should not be lower. You should do your best to act within the laws and ethical manners of society whenever you inhabit "cyberspace." Would you behave rudely to someone face-to-face? On most occasions, no. Neither should you behave this way in the virtual world.

Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace

"Netiquette varies from domain to domain." (Shea, 1994) Depending on where you are in the virtual world, the same written communication can be acceptable in one area, where it might be considered inappropriate in another. What you text to a friend may not be appropriate in an email to a classmate or colleague. Can you think of another example?

Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth

Electronic communication takes time: time to read and time in which to respond. Most people today lead busy lives, just like you do, and don't have time to read or respond to frivolous emails or discussion posts. As a virtual world communicator, it is your responsibility to make sure that the time spent reading your words isn't wasted. Make your written communication meaningful and to the point, without extraneous text or superfluous graphics or attachments that may take forever to download.

Rule 5: Make yourself look good online

One of the best things about the virtual world is the lack of judgment associated with your physical appearance, sound of your voice, or the clothes you wear (unless you post a video of yourself singing Karaoke in a clown outfit.) You will, however, be judged by the quality of your writing, so keep the following tips in mind:

• Always check for spelling and grammar errors
• Know what you're talking about and state it clearly
• Be pleasant and polite

Rule 6: Share expert knowledge

The Internet offers its users many benefits; one is the ease in which information can be shared or accessed and in fact, this "information sharing" capability is one of the reasons the Internet was founded. So in the spirit of the Internet's "founding fathers," share what you know! When you post a question and receive intelligent answers, share the results with others. Are you an expert at something? Post resources and references about your subject matter. Recently expanded your knowledge about a subject that might be of interest to others? Share that as well.

Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control

What is meant by "flaming" and "flame wars?" "Flaming is what people do when they express a strongly held opinion without holding back any emotion." (Shea, 1994). As an example, think of the kinds of passionate comments you might read on a sports blog. While "flaming" is not necessarily forbidden in virtual communication, "flame wars," when two or three people exchange angry posts between one another, must be controlled or the camaraderie of the group could be compromised. Don't feed the flames; extinguish them by guiding the discussion back to a more productive direction.

Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy

Depending on what you are reading in the virtual world, be it an online class discussion forum, Facebook page, or an email, you may be exposed to some private or personal information that needs to be handled with care. Perhaps someone is sharing some medical news about a loved one or discussing a situation at work. What do you think would happen if this information "got into the wrong hands?" Embarrassment? Hurt feelings? Loss of a job? Just as you expect others to respect your privacy, so should you respect the privacy of others. Be sure to err on the side of caution when deciding to discuss or not to discuss virtual communication.

Rule 9: Don't abuse your power

Just like in face-to-face situations, there are people in cyberspace who have more "power" than others. They have more expertise in technology or they have years of experience in a particular skill or subject matter. Maybe it's you who posesses all of this knowledge and power! Just remember: knowing more than others do or having more power than others may have does not give you the right to take advantage of anyone. Think of Rule 1: Remember the human.

Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes

Not everyone has the same amount of experience working in the virtual world. And not everyone knows the rules of netiquette. At some point, you will see a stupid question, read an unnecessarily long response, or encounter misspelled words; when this happens, practice kindness and forgiveness as you would hope someone would do if you had committed the same offense. If it's a minor "offense," you might want to let it slide. If you feel compelled to respond to a mistake, do so in a private email rather than a public forum.

Adapted from The Core Rules of Netiquette Shea, V. (1994). Core rules of netiquette. Netiquette (Online ed., pp. 32-45). San Francisco: Albion Books.

References:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/about-netiquette

https://learning.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=4

https://classroom.synonym.com/why-do-people-use-netiquette-12078439.html