Netiquette

http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

I wish more people would read this article called Netiquette. It amazes me when I see news stories that talk about a teenager who took her life because of what her peers said to her online. Teens are not the only ones who relentlessly degrade others online. Adults to it all the time under the veil of a computer screen. One of the author’s main points is to remember that I am speaking to another human. If it is inappropriate to say something to a person standing in front of me I shouldn’t say it in an e-mail or a forum. The author made many other great points as well. Communication online is all about words for the most part. My reader can’t understand my meanings by my body language or fluctuation of text. As a result words become empowered and can be used successfully or can lose my intended meaning. I also appreciated the advice of looking around a site and getting a sense of the people who add to that site before I burst in with my opinion. Sometimes I can become very opinionated and assume that I know what the writer meant and immediately give my two bits. That can be detrimental to the cyber-experience and lead me to miss out on conversations I could grow from. Also, if I research subjects before butting in I can make smart observations and be valued by others on a site. That can lead to a more fulfilling sharing of knowledge.