LBC, SEMESTER-2

C.I.P.L. PAPER
Teacher- SHREEYA MALHOTRA
JUNE 20, 2023
TOPIC- NETIQUETTE

What is netiquette?

As you might have already guessed, netiquette is a compound word made of words network
and etiquette and defines considerate and respectful online communication. This framework is
not legally binding but ensures smoother communication between online participants, often
strangers, whether in an online classroom, social media posts, or private messages.

One of the greatest difficulties in online communication is the lack of physical connection. When
we can’t see our interlocutor’s emotions and body language, it is sometimes difficult to read the
situation and understand how the other person feels or reacts. Therefore, it’s essential to follow
netiquette to avoid being misunderstood or transmitting the wrong message.

Like the web itself, online etiquette constantly evolves and varies in different communities. It
differs on every social media platform or website, and service providers usually define the scope
of internet etiquette on apps or websites. And the company is typically who enforces the rules,
ensures social responsibility online, and penalizes violations.

Some Netiquette rules-

1. Prioritize real people

Meeting a friend for lunch and giggling at your Facebook messages alone might be annoying
and even upsetting for them. Scrolling through your DMs or notifications while they are trying to
have a conversation with you may imply that you don’t care about them.

Usually, your text messages, voicemail, chat rooms, and the rest of the online world can wait a
second. Put all the distractions away and make time for the other person. You may never know
what might come from sharing ideas in a face-to-face conversation.

And if you’re waiting for an important call, text, or email, let your conversation partner know
beforehand and apologize for the disruption.

2. Stay considerate
To prevent inappropriate behavior on the internet, stay considerate and thoughtful to fellow
internet users. You may never know the backstory of another person online, so if you wouldn’t
broadcast a particular message in the real world, it also isn’t okay to broadcast online.

Hate speech, name-calling, and offensive opinions are intolerable both in public forums and
comment sections as well as in private conversations and email threads. Your unsolicited
opinion may backfire. The moderators may remove the hateful comment and get you banned
from the social network or group.

Victims of abusive language online often are social and religious minorities, BIPOC,
homosexuals, or foreigners. If you encounter insults, harassment, or hate speech towards other
people on the internet, act immediately. Report the offensive messages or comments to the
service administrator.

You can always intervene and demonstrate good netiquette if you see insults online. Undermine
the bully’s statements, try to educate them, and show them the other side of the moon. Under
no circumstances use hate and insults yourself. Try to turn the conversation in a positive
direction, use a respectful tone, and clearly express your dissatisfaction with the hatred.

3. Don’t overshare

Another one of the most important netiquette rules is to share your content wisely. Remember –
once your photos or opinions are online, they’re accessible to anyone interested. So every time
you post, rethink if the post is appropriate and consider possible consequences at work, school,
for your children, friends, or yourself.

Oversharing your personal information may give the criminals exactly what they want – your
personal details. Posting a photo from a beachy holiday may alert them that you are out of the
country. Showing the inside of your house may reveal that you have valuable items, like jewelry,
rare collectibles, or art, at home, making you a target.

Meanwhile, sharing details about your past may let cybercriminals guess the answers to the
security questions for password recovery. This may lead to identity theft, a very serious crime,
possibly resulting in fraud under your name.

4. Respect other people’s privacy

Always be considerate with information about others that you share. Photos of friends or work
gatherings that you post online may seem like an innocent sharing of your daily life, but other
people may not want to disclose the details of their private lives on social media. Whenever you
decide to share a photo or video that includes other people, practice proper netiquette by asking
them if they are okay with you doing so.
Also, be discrete when forwarding emails. Always use BCC (blind carbon copy) instead of CC
(carbon copy) if there is more than one recipient. The BCC feature hides the recipients’ email
addresses and keeps them private. Even if sharing contact details doesn’t make you
uncomfortable, some people don’t want strangers accessing their personal information.

5. Don’t spam

Another one of the basic online rules is probably already familiar – don’t spam. We all get
unsolicited and irrelevant emails or messages in our inboxes. And it is especially annoying when
it comes from companies we didn’t permit to contact us.

We don’t necessarily always get spam from companies or organizations. We may also receive
spam from our friends and family, who regularly ask us to get involved in their business projects,
have something to sell, or share information that is not entirely relevant.

Another critical thing to note is that email is a scam tool to spread malware. Never open
messages, click on links, or download attachments from unfamiliar sources. If the message you
receive looks suspicious, contact the sender by other means to ensure it’s them and not a
cybercriminal.

In short, remain tactful and ask questions before sending out ads or proposals. This will help
you maintain good relationships with your friends and family, and you won’t be reported or
blocked on social networks.

6. Respond quickly to emails and messages

While some things get forgotten in the whirlwind of everyday life, try to get to important
messages as soon as possible. Emails or texts from colleagues, your educational institution, or
friends and family often contain important information, and the recipient expects a reply.

However, don’t worry if it takes a little longer to reply. Keep the sender up to date and let them
know you are getting back to them soon. And feel free not to respond to spam or reply to
unsolicited and irrelevant messages that you never wanted to receive in the first place.

7. Help control flame wars

You have the right to disagree with someone else’s opinion on the internet, but try to keep the
discussion healthy and don’t say anything you might regret later. However, if you get into flame
wars, a conversation including insulting, aggression with profanity, and other types of offensive
language, take a deep breath and leave immediately.
Treat others with the same respect as you would like to be treated. Remember – angry
comments on a forum, in group chats, or the comments section of an article can backfire and
lead to legal consequences, such as financial penalties. Never insult or abuse anyone, and if
you notice flame wars between fellow internet users, you can always try and turn the discussion
in a positive direction.

8. Check for grammar and spelling mistakes

In a hurry to reply to work emails or messages from friends, we commonly make typos,
grammatical errors, or misspellings. However, try saving other people’s time and energy – don’t
make the recipient decipher your sentences. Read your message or email carefully and correct
your mistakes before sending it. Proofreading will ensure that the recipient understands you.

However, be patient with others. If you get a message with grammar or spelling mistakes, do not
judge – nobody likes the grammar police.

9. Check your facts before posting

You’ve probably heard the phrase before – don’t trust everything you read online. The vastness
of the internet is full of misinformation, spam, and propaganda that is meant to mislead or isn’t
verified. Try not to be a channel for such lies and be sure to check the facts before posting on
your Facebook wall or other social media.

10. Keep your online information up to date

Keep your website updated if you own a company or an online business. Inaccurate information
on the web annoys and confuses customers. For example, let them know if you are
experiencing heavy workloads and will not deliver a purchase on time. If your opening hours
have changed and you are unavailable, update your information. The customer will appreciate
it.

The same applies to job seekers. Keep only the most relevant information in your CV and try to
clarify your previous experiences. Following netiquette guidelines can be the deciding factor in
your job search.

Importance Of Netiquette-

Oral or in-person communication has the benefit of body language, tone of voice and facial
expressions that add to the communication between sender and recipient. Written
communication is devoid of this luxury, often making the writer’s intent unclear.
This is the primary reason for the presence of online etiquette—to allow us to communicate well
virtually. Most websites and social media platforms have defined the rules of online behavior
that users must follow.

Such codes have been put in place to ensure people interact effectively and avoid conflicts.
There can even be legal implications of not following net etiquette.

Here are some examples of netiquette or online etiquette:

1. Specify context:

Whether you’re replying to an email, participating on a discussion thread or commenting on a

social media post, it’s good net etiquette to quote from the original message to give context to
your reply

2. Read before responding:

Look before you leap, read before you respond! Before you hit send on your rejoinder to an
email or a post, confirm twice that your message conveys exactly what you intended. The
smallest error or the wrong word could change the meaning of your message.

3. Remember who’s at the other end:

Never forget that though all you see is a digital screen, you’re interacting with a person with
feelings and beliefs on the other side. It can be easy to say things online that you wouldn’t face
to face. But rudeness is just as unacceptable

4. Spread the knowledge:

The internet was conceived to share information with others. It’s excellent online netiquette to
share your knowledge and help those looking for assistance. The cyber world grows by many
people sharing and leveraging their knowledge. Sharing only enriches your own knowledge
further

5. Don’t plagiarize:

We often see people using information and quotes from unknown sources. The internet has
given us access to all kinds of information that we can share or use. However, make sure to
properly attribute it to the correct author(s)

6. Rein in the sarcasm:

Be cautious of making sarcastic comments. The recipient has the disadvantage of not hearing
your tone of voice or seeing your facial expressions. Sarcasm can be misunderstood and spoil
relationships. You can use emoticons (sparingly) or prefix your reply with something like, “On a
lighter note…” But, it’s always safe to be professional and straightforward.

7. Never spam:

Don’t we all hate junk messages? The same applies to our friends and colleagues. Refraining
from sharing irrelevant, unverified content and rumors is the way to go.

Don’t SHOUT:

An important piece of online etiquette is to avoid writing whole words or sentences in capital
letters. This is considered rude and akin to someone yelling at you

8. Introduce yourself:

Another piece of internet etiquette that’s often overlooked is a failure to identify ourselves as the
author of a message. It’s polite to add your signature at the end of an email
9. Privacy is paramount:

Never forward personal emails and photos or share statuses without permission from all
involved in the communication. Be extremely careful while sharing personal information about
someone and never do so without their consent. Upholding others’ privacy is among the most
important online etiquettes. Even if it’s a close friend, exercise caution online

10. Respond to messages:

Respond to emails or messages on social media platforms promptly. If you’re busy,

acknowledge that you’ve received the message and let the sender know when you’ll revert. The
simple act of responding on time is a valued part of net etiquette
11. Don’t hide:

Using false profiles is not good internet etiquette. Having no picture is only a little better than a
false one. Do you wear a mask when meeting people in real life or turn away when talking to
them? Online communication is the same. Remember that trolls and cyberbullies use false
profiles, so be careful not to be mistaken for one
12. Be authentic:
People like to connect with or follow those with original thoughts and opinions. Express yourself
openly and honestly. Following net etiquette means you aren’t restricting your expression but
being conscious about how you do it

13. Respect others’ views:

It’s good online etiquette to allow people to express their views. Hold back from belittling
opinions different from your own. You can disagree respectfully if you must, but it’s insensitive
to disparage other people’s beliefs and thoughts even when they aren’t near you

14. Avoid conflict:

Abusive behavior is the height of bad net etiquette. Some platforms can even ban you for this.
Online platforms are tightening their legal frameworks against online bullying. Avoid sharing
abusive content or posts that could incite violence

Online etiquettes must be followed strictly to avoid hatred and malpractices spread like wildfire.