Online etiquette or netiquette deals with the importance of having good digital manners. In times of social media, instant communication and advancing technology, there is a growing need for good etiquette online.
Statistics show that a fifth of young people in the UK have experienced cyberbullying including name calling, offensive comments, physical threats and receiving inappropriate content.
Social media and the internet should be used safely, positively and responsibly. So here are some tips for sensible use of social media and how you can display good netiquette:
- Treat people respectfully. If you would not say it to their face you should not say it to them online.
- Don’t post content (images, videos, files etc) that is not yours to share.
- Be careful when attempting to post humorous or sarcastic comments. Not everyone will share your sense of humour and it’s difficult to read someone’s personality and tone of voice through social media.
- Don’t upload photos of people without their permission.
- It is perfectly acceptable to decline friend/follow requests from people you don’t know.
- Don’t post nasty, rude or hurtful comments on other people’s posts.
- Check your facts before posting. Be careful not to post information that is not true or misleading.
- Don’t type whole sentences in capital letters. It looks like you are shouting.
- Avoid using abbreviations or slang unless you are communicating with someone you know is comfortable with this form of message.
- Don’t post negative messages about other people.
