Essential Rules of Netiquettes

Online etiquette or ‘netiquette’
– The dos and don’ts of online communication 1
HERE ARE 7 TOP TIPS TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE WITH ONLINE ETIQUETTE:
BE RESPECTFUL
1. Everyone has different feelings and opinions and it is important to respect this online. You
may wish to comment on something someone has shared but always remember that behind
every account is a real person. If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, the internet is not the
place to say it either.
BE AWARE OF HOW YOUR COMMENTS MIGHT BE READ

Strong language, capital letters, and exclamation marks can be easily misinterpreted online. In the real
2. world we have the addition of body language, tone of voice and facial expressions to help us
understand what someone has said. We also have the opportunity to re-phrase what we say if we’re
misunderstood in the offline world. When you are online, these are missing. Think; if you were to
receive this comment how would you have felt?
BE CAREFUL WITH HUMOUR AND SARCASM

It’s always great to share jokes with others and it is important to be yourself online and let your
3. personality shine through. However, not everything is always clear online and sometimes people
might not realise you are joking. Often people rely on emojis or text speak, eg ‘lol’, to help show they
are not being serious, but it isn’t guaranteed other people will understand this. Reread what you have
written and think; will everyone get the joke?
THINK ABOUT WHO CAN SEE WHAT YOU HAVE SHARED
4. Privacy settings are a simple way to restrict who can see what you are sharing, but even with them in
place nothing is ever truly private online. Make sure you keep as much of your personal information
off the internet as possible and never share anything inappropriate or that may get you into
trouble. Remember you are only as private as your much public friend.
REMEMBER TO CHECK FRIEND REQUESTS AND GROUP INVITES

BEFORE ACCEPTING THEM
5. The internet is a great place to share content and chat to friends but remember to review any new
requests before accepting them. Check if they are from someone you know or were expecting to
receive a request from. If it isn’t from someone you know or recognise then it is ok to decline the request.
TAKE TIME TO HAVE READ THE RULES OF CONDUCT /

COMMUNITY STANDARDS
6.
Most online forums, social networks and gaming networks have their own code of conduct or
guidelines for a user’s online behaviour. Every user has the right to have the same positive
experience online. The services you’re using use these guidelines to help guide and support you so
that you know what will and won’t be tolerated on their service. Before using a new account take a
moment to read the guidelines, so you know the appropriate rules of posting, behaviour and what to do if
you need to report something you see on this service.
BE FORGIVING
7. The online world can be very different from the offline world so try to be understanding of others
when they struggle with online communication. If you see something online that you don’t think is
appropriate, you can use reporting tools to flag it to the site’s safety team. Remember that not
everyone will know these rules before posting or realise that they have upset someone else.
From https://www.childnet.com/blog/online-etiquette-or-netiquette-the-dos-and-donts-of-online-communication-
Technology
Seven (7) Essential Rules of Netiquette

When you use e-mail, instant messenger, video calls, or discussion boards to communicate with
others online, please be sure to follow the rules of professional online communications known
as netiquette. These rules will help you communicate with instructors, classmates and potential
employers more effectively and will help prevent misunderstandings.
a. Remember the Golden Rule – Even though you may be interacting with
a computer screen, you are communicating with a real person who will
react to your message. Make a good impression - treat others with the
same respect that you would like to receive and avoid confrontational or
offensive language.
b. For Professional Messages, Avoid Emoticons - To help convey

meaning when creating messages, it is sometimes acceptable to include
appropriate emoticon symbols, such as a smiley face :) However, for
professional communications these would be inappropriate.
c. Avoid Slang, Acronyms, and Text Talk – Communicating effectively in

college and business environments requires the use of correct
terminology, spelling, and grammar that can easily be understood. For
example, use “your” instead of “ur”.
d. Avoid “SCREAMING” in Typed Messages – Typing an entire message

using all capital letters is known as “screaming”. It is distracting and
generally frowned upon in professional environments. It is better to draw
emphasis to selected words or phrases by: using italic or bold text; using
a different color for text or background color; or denoting emphasis using
special characters (Example: **Important**).
e. Proofread Your Messages Before Sending Them – Proofreading your

messages before you send them is a best practice for effective and
efficient communication. Strive to make your communications concise
and free of any:
• Spelling and grammar errors
• Confusing terms or phrases that could be is understood
• Errors of omission, such as missing content or recipients
• Errors in accuracy of information
f. Exercise Good Judgment When Sharing Information With Others

Online – Email and chat messages that you send or receive are
considered private and should not be forwarded or copied to others
without gaining the consent of all involved participants. In general,
messages posted to discussion boards and social media sites can be
read by the public. You may never know who might read or share what
you post. It is a good practice to always ask a post’s author for permission
before sharing a post with other parties.
• For personal communications with friends, family, it is best to use your
own personal account.
• To protect your privacy and safety, do not share online any sensitive
personal information such as:
 Your home address or phone number
 Personal conversations
 Social plans, such as vacations
 Financial information
 Usernames, passwords, or hints
 Anything personal that you would not want shared by others over
the Internet
• If the material you share with others online came from another
source, make every effort to gain permission from the original
author or copyright holder. Copying someone else's work and
passing it off as your own is plagiarism. It damages your
reputation and could subject you to serious academic and legal
consequences.
g. Respect Diversity in Viewpoints - Be constructive and respectful when

sharing opinions, beliefs, and criticisms, or responding to those of others
in the conversation.
• When sharing a viewpoint that differs from someone else’s, it is a
best practice to first acknowledge the other person by briefly
restating what he or she said, but in your own words. This lets the
person know that you are listening and trying to understand them.
• When presenting an opinion or criticism, it is helpful to use
phrases that identify to whose point of view you are referring. If
the opinion is yours, you can begin with the phrase “In my
experience” or “In my opinion.” If it is a viewpoint of someone else,
make sure you identify that in your message (Example:
“According to Eric Ericson” or “The president believes”).

Essential Rules of Netiquettes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Essential Rules of Netiquettes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Essential Rules of Netiquettes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Online etiquette or ‘netiquette’

– The dos and don’ts of online communication 1

BE AWARE OF HOW YOUR COMMENTS MIGHT BE READ

BE CAREFUL WITH HUMOUR AND SARCASM

THINK ABOUT WHO CAN SEE WHAT YOU HAVE SHARED

REMEMBER TO CHECK FRIEND REQUESTS AND GROUP INVITES

TAKE TIME TO HAVE READ THE RULES OF CONDUCT /

Seven (7) Essential Rules of Netiquette

b. For Professional Messages, Avoid Emoticons - To help convey

c. Avoid Slang, Acronyms, and Text Talk – Communicating effectively in

d. Avoid “SCREAMING” in Typed Messages – Typing an entire message

e. Proofread Your Messages Before Sending Them – Proofreading your

f. Exercise Good Judgment When Sharing Information With Others

g. Respect Diversity in Viewpoints - Be constructive and respectful when

You might also like