So todays topic is internet etiquette. If you've looked at my Facebook recently then you saw the guy that decided to be the Facebook Photo Police and told me that I "look like someone off of Toddlers & Tiara's" and he's "Sorry for the way I look". Even if I did look orange who are you honestly to judge me? Because I think I look damn good after having a baby 6 months ago. Thank you asshole for giving me inspiration for my new blog post. Anyways....internet etiquette...where to even start.
I think that people "grow some balls" on the internet because they're not insulting someone to their face...so they grow a back bone while they're typing on their little keyboard. People lose their humanity when they log into their Facebook or twitter or youtube. I have read so many comments from people who lack manners, classiness, and compassion. So I found these guidelines for network etiquette...or "netiquette"
Rule 1: Remember the Human- Do unto others as you'd have others do unto you. Imagine how you'd feel if you were in the other person's shoes. Stand up for yourself, but try not to hurt people's feelings.
When you communicate electronically, all you see is a computer screen. You don't have the opportunity to use facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice to communicate your meaning; words -- lonely written words -- are all you've got. And that goes for your correspondent as well.
Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life- In real life, most people are fairly law-abiding, either by disposition or because we're afraid of getting caught. In cyberspace, the chances of getting caught sometimes seem slim. And, perhaps because people sometimes forget that there's a human being on the other side of the computer, some people think that a lower standard of ethics or personal behavior is acceptable in cyberspace. BE ETHICAL!
Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace- When you enter a domain of cyberspace that's new to you, take a look around. Spend a while listening to the chat or reading the archives. Get a sense of how the people who are already there act. Then go ahead and participate.
Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth- It's a cliché that people today seem to have less time than ever before, even though (or perhaps because) we sleep less and have more labor-saving devices than our grandparents did. When you send email or post to a discussion group, you're taking up other people's time (or hoping to). It's your responsibility to ensure that the time they spend reading your posting isn't wasted.
Rule 5: Make yourself look good online- I don't want to give the impression that the net is a cold, cruel place full of people who just can't wait to insult each other. As in the world at large, most people who communicate online just want to be liked. Networks -- particularly discussion groups -- let you reach out to people you'd otherwise never meet. And none of them can see you. You won't be judged by the color of your skin, eyes, or hair, your weight, your age, or your clothing, but by the quality of your writing.
Rule 6: Share expert knowledge- The reason asking questions online works is that a lot of knowledgeable people are reading the questions. And if even a few of them offer intelligent answers, the sum total of world knowledge increases.
Rule 7: Help keep "flame wars" under control- "Flaming" is what people do when they express a strongly held opinion without holding back any emotion. It's the kind of message that makes people respond, "Oh come on, tell us how you really feel." Tact is not its objective. Flame wars is just online arguing and is rather unattractive.
Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy- Of course, you'd never dream of going through your colleagues' desk drawers. So naturally you wouldn't read their email either.
Rule 9: Don't abuse your power- Knowing more than others, or having more power than they do, does not give you the right to take advantage of them. For example, system administrators should never read private email.
Rule 10: Be forgiving of other peoples mistakes- Everyone was a network newbie once. And not everyone has had the benefit of reading this book. So when someone makes a mistake -- whether it's a spelling error or a spelling flame, a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer -- be kind about it.