Spilling the Tea on Netiquette

With almost everything you do and anywhere you go, there are certain unspoken rules that exist which serve as a guideline to what’s appropriate and what is not. This notion of etiquette has been around for thousands of years so now that we are living in the age of the Internet, why should this same framework not be applied? Netiquette is the recently coined term that was put in place to act as a set of rules or etiquette applying specifically to anyone using a network online.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with proper netiquette, here is the 411 on some of the basic rules to remember before posting on the Internet:

1. Avoid Spamming

Nothing’s worse than someone on any social media platform who is constantly posting every detail of their lives! The Internet is definitely meant to be an outlet for ideas, thoughts, and all sorts of information however, like anything else, too much is never a good thing. Try and put forth diversity so that you are not just known as that annoying person that just posts videos at the gym “working out” everyday or the one who only tweets about their relationship problems- unless your goal is to become blocked by everyone you know.

2. Abstain from Personal Abuse

Everybody is entitled to their own opinions but no matter how much you disagree with someone, it is never okay to project profanity or threats onto them. Just because an argument is happening online, that doesn’t make it any less of a serious issue or any less personal. It’s always important to think carefully about what you want to post before you actually post it to avoid any unnecessary disputes with others that could potentially get out of hand . So next time you are tempted to post something that you think you might regret later on just think, WWKWD- What would Kanye West do?, and do the exact opposite.

3. Grammar

The final rule of netiquette to keep in mind when posting online is having good grammar. It is important to keep your posts clear and to the point. Which means that any slang and misspelled or misused words will not be easy to understand. No matter how excited you are for that special event, “Cant w8 4 2nitez game bruhhhh” is not an appropriate way to say it. Even though it may be more tempting to use slang and short forms on networks like Twitter due to the 140 character limit, try thinking out what you want to say first and use that space more wisely- or the Grammar Police will get you! Were all those years of elementary and high school really for nothing?!

These essential rules are some of the most important things to remember when having an online presence. Different networks are not only used as a source of creative expression or information, but also for employers to seek out potential hires. Therefore it is imperative to maintain a respectful and clean cyber footprint because it can have a great effect on the rest of your life.

***********************POST RESPONSIBLY************************