Communication Skills: Netiquette
Netiquette is a portmanteau word combining Net (short for Internet) and etiquette (the set of conventional rules of personal behaviour in polite society). Netiquette then is a set of rules for good behaviour on the Internet. When you're online and relatively anonymous, it's easy to get a wee bit carried away and say nasty or hurtful things that you wouldn't say in person. The term Netiquette is a little dated now, but the rules still apply, and you could perhaps argue have taken on a little more importance in the age of social media and online learning.
The 10 Rules of Netiquette
There's really only one rule, which applies to life in general and that's treat others that you would expect to be treated, however here are 10 guidelines for communicating online, adapted from Virginia Shea's book, Netiquette
- Remember the human
- You're looking at words on a screen, but you have to remember they were written by a human being. A human being with thoughts and feelings. Because you can't see them, it's easy to misinterpret their meaning and easy to be rude. Before responding, or pressing the reply button, stop and think: would you say this to another person face-to-face?
- Stick to the same standards of behaviour as in "real life"
- The Internet is not the wild west or the planet Mars. The same principles of law that govern conduct in society apply online too. Harassment, bullying, theft etc. are against the law, no matter where they take place.
- Remember where you are online
- There are all different kinds of online environments; you could be a game's chatroom or Moodle, or in a video call with your parents. You wouldn't behave the same way in all three situations. The way you communicate with your gaming buddies would not be appropriate for Moodle or even talking to your parents. Remember where you are online and act in a fashion appropriate to that location
- Respect other people's time and bandwidth
- Bandwidth (data transfer rate) isn't so much of an issue these days, but it was in the past. Anyway, don't waste people's time; keep your comments brief and to the point. You wouldn't blather on in person, would you?
- Make yourself look good online
- Show your best self online; don't let the ability to remain anonymous influence how you come across. Pay attention to your grammar, spelling and what you say, as other people will form opinions of you whether you're anonymous or not.
- Share expert knowledge
- Help keep flame wars under control
- "Flaming" was a term used in the earlier days of the Internet to describe heated argument. It's not used so much these days, but the principle still applies, don't use social spaces to get involved in long drawn out arguments; if you're not involved in them, they can be very boring
- Respect other people's privacy
- The Internet is a public place. Would you want your personal details shared with everyone without your permission? No. So, don't share other peoples' personal details
- Don't abuse your power
- If you're an experienced user or have specialist knowledge or responsibility, do not use this to abuse, mock, harm or take advantage of those with less power or experience than you.
- Be forgiving of other peoples' mistakes
- Assume everyone is acting in good faith and give people the benefit of the doubt. Would you be rude or dismissive in real life? You shouldn't be. Treat people with respect.
