What’s the deal with the digital etiquette?

            Unfortunately, some people can lose control the second they jump online. For instance, when they disagree with someone or have strong feelings about a topic, they end up in quarrel or say stuff they would never say in person. They may send rude emails or tough comments. They could even post arguments on message boards. This is called “flaming”, and it can lead to full-on flamers who exchange insulting arguments.

           Believe it or not, some people actually cruise around the internet looking to start flame wars. Some are free all the time. Some are aggressive and dogmatic. Whereas others are sadist; they become happy the time they make others suffer from their flames. These could be the reasons why they adore flaming. We call these trouble makers “trolls” .I don’t think that they necessarily become meaner people. Maybe they just forget rules.

           On the internet, it is pretty easy to stay anonymous or unidentified. Having a secret identity to hide behind can make people pretty brave. They forget that they are dealing with a real human being when all they see of you is a pseudo name, a fake image or funny icon.

It’s simple, just like in real life. You should treat other people the way you want to be treated. You wouldn’t want somebody to be rude to you, so don’t be rude to anyone else.

            Of course, netiquette is not just about being nice, it is also about communicating clearly. That means keeping emails and messages clear and to the point. It means making your messages easy to read and understand which depends a lot on your audience. For instance, some abbreviations and emoticons may be fine with friends. But they are not generally appropriate in formal communication. Furthermore, whatever you do, don’t write in all capital letters.   

           On the internet, writing all capital letters makes you seem like you are yelling. Also keep in mind that humor is not always obvious in writing. Without seeing facial expressions or hearing someone’s voice, it can be hard to tell the difference between a friendly joke and real cruelty. A message without a tone of voice is void of meaning or incomplete to full understand. One way to make sure you are communicating clearly is to re-read what you write before you send it. Check your tone, grammar, and spelling to be certain you really mean to say what you have written. Once your message is out, it is out! Lastly make sure you ask for permission before posting anything about your friends on blogs or social networking sites. People’s personal information is private and you can really ruin relationships if you post something that a friend or a friend’s parents or relatives don’t want on the web. You need always to keep in mind that the internet is not a private place; if you wouldn’t want a parent, a teacher, a school admission’s director, or a future employer to see something you post, don’t post it.

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