While we have mastered the skills of behaving in public, the proper etiquette, and ethics, we have yet to master what we call netiquette.
Netiquette is short for internet etiquette. Just like how we behave in the society, there are rules that we need to follow on how we should behave as responsible netizens in the digital world, and how well we can keep ourselves secure in this fast-evolving world. Our behavior on the internet on how we send out and respond to emails, sharing content, and how we respond to comments is a reflection of us.
So, what are the golden rules? Of course, there are unwritten ones. What we have here are the basics.
• Sharing posts and contents on social media – you know the drill. Don’t post or share fake news or something that would offend another person. The internet has a blurred line between fake news and the truth, false news but are popular can sometimes be perceived as the truth. Share what’s factual. And while you’re at it, don’t tag people who are not related to your posts. Use the relevant hashtag and putting 1 million hashtags that goes on forever is not fine.
• Sending out and responding to emails- Whether it’s personal or email at work, be courteous. Make your emails short and clear. Don’t forward spam emails, respect the recipients. Delete phishing scams/emails. Don’t give out confidential information, personal data, and passwords to via email.
• Commenting and responding to social media posts – we all have that friend that posts photos of every meal he eats, another friend who posts a one-kilometer opinion on the state of the nation, etc. Your friend’s every-minute status might be his way of connecting to people. You’ll never know maybe he feels alone. For that other friend who writes longer opinion than the opinion editor of a newspaper, remember, he is entitled to his own opinion. Don’t respond is such a way that your friend will feel that our opinion is better than theirs.
How we manage ourselves online is an extension on how we behave ourselves in the society. How we keep ourselves safe, is a result of the way we respond to things. Always, remember that whatever we do whether in public or in the online world is a reflection of our personality. Be mindful of your posts may it be personal or for work. Employers screen candidate’s social media sites before hiring, so, be careful of anything you post or share.
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