Post 2: Netiquette

What is Netiquette?

According to A Dictionary of the Internet (2019), netiquette can be defined as:

"The series of informal rules which users of the Internet are often urged to follow in order not to annoy other users Typical rules include: check with an FAQ list before asking a question, do not betray confidences, use emoticons to indicate subtleties, and stick to the subject you are writing about."  


Netiquette is the same as personal etiquette and is sometimes called internet etiquette. Essentially, it is how someone should behave online. Much like a person's etiquette, their netiquette can change based on what they are doing or interacting with. How you message or email a close friend should differ from a message or email to an employer, coworker or educator. When communicating professionally, emails and messages should reflect professionalism, much like an in-person conversation with an employer. 


Netiquette also extends into the world of social media and indicates how people should behave in these spaces. The rules of netiquette are essential as how one acts online can impact one's digital footprint or reputation. Netiquette reminds us that things posted on the internet will last forever and can never be erased. Communicating online poses additional struggles as there is no way to determine the message the person is trying to convey. Online, you must rely on something other than visual cues and the tone of a person's voice to comprehend the message being sent fully. In the absence of physical contact, misunderstandings in the information forwarded often cause the reader distress. Virginia Shea (1994) Breaks netiquette down into ten core rules. I believe these ten rules can be simplified into three areas:


  1. Respect: Respect everyone you communicate with as they are human and should be treated as such. Try not to hurt others when sending messages; try to develop a way to display the tone of the message so the reader understands. Treat others the way you would want to be treated.
  2. Knowledgeable: Understand the technology that you are using and become familiar with how to use it correctly. Many different social media platforms have their operating systems. Become familiar with this before diving into the social platforms. 
  3. Forgiving: There are always new members joining different social platforms. You must forgive someone's ignorance and politely try to help them understand how to use these platforms. We all make mistakes and should show patience when assisting new learners. 

Netiquette in my classroom

Netiquette is not just one teacher or one person responsible for teaching. The amount of technology 

students have access to, and use is growing unprecedentedly. This means we as a society need to show youth the importance of being a respectable person in the real world and in the digital one. Every day, I am teaching students the importance of netiquette. Whether it's how to correctly email a teacher and not put your whole email in the subject line or that just because Snapchat disappears off their screen, it doesn't mean it's gone forever. It's essential to avoid having the assumption that youth know the ins and outs of netiquette just because they have had access to technology for the majority of their lives. We still have to be patient and make mistakes they may make and turn them into positive learning experiences. 


References:

Ince, D. (Ed.). (2019). A Dictionary of the Internet. (4 edition). www-oxfordreference-com. Retrieved  January 21st, 2024, from https://www-oxfordreference-com.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/view/10.1093/acref/9780191884276.001.0001/acref-9780191884276-e-2254?rskey=SuYY9s&result=1770

Shea, V. (1994). Netiquette. Albion Press. Retrieved January 24th, 2024 from http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

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