Netiquette do's and don'ts

The thing about the Internet is that it doesn’t always allow us time for reflection. We dash off those e-mails at lightning speed, upload questionable photos of our recent night out or write prickly comments on people’s Facebook walls. Then later, we think: Dear God, why did I hit that “Send” button? Doh!

There should be a required course in Netiquette 101, especially since Internet speeds are faster than ever. And with Smart Bro, those speeds are nearly off the charts: 2Mbps (that’s millions of bits per second or megabits per second) is really fast for Net surfing, not to mention simple gaming. You’ll never come up against bandwidth problems with that kind of blazing speed.

All the more reason that, when you merrily surf the Net along righteous waves of bandwidth, you’ll need some guidelines on how to behave.

Here’s a little Q&A on netiquette do’s and don’ts:

Q. I like reading blogs and sometimes even have the guts to join the discussion or comment on a post. But one of the bloggers I follow recently made an insensitive remark and I called him on it. He responded by calling me names, flaming me and embarrassing me to the point that I have to change my identity. What can I do?

A: Remember the Netiquette Golden Rule: “E-mail unto others as you would have them e-mail unto you.” If you think someone has flamed you beyond a reasonable limit, don’t just delete or trash that file; the rude reply by a columnist, blogger or online writer is evidence of their actions. Their words have been written and sent to you, and can be stored. Back up any written evidence. You may get a chance to use it to air a fair reply later.

Q: On the other hand, if I flame somebody online, without putting my name on the comment, can they find out it was me?

A: Remember that, no matter what fake name you adopt online, you are not anonymous. There are plenty of ways for people to find out who the offensive sender is. Some are as simple as tracing the e-mail address; some, in legal cases, can go as far as tracking the DNA of someone’s hard drive. Remember that what you write in an e-mail or on a website can be traced back to you, ultimately. And use the appropriate netiquette.

Q: People send me funny articles and pictures in my e-mails. Can I forward them to whomever I like (or don’t like)? Can I freely use the material sent to me elsewhere?

A: It may seem innocuous, forwarding mail to friends and others. But it’s also a matter of copyright law. Remember: Thou shalt not use other’s images, content, etc. without permission. That also applies to forwarding e-mail or web site content. Visit the Library of Congress’ Guide on Copyright Basics online for further illumination.

Q: Can I block and copy chunks of Wikipedia articles (or other online sources) into my school papers or newspaper article?

A: There is a little thing called “citation” when you refer to someone else’s writing or material. Cite other’s work — even if it’s a single quote — whenever you use it in your work. It actually makes you look smarter, and covers your back in case people start to question whether it’s accurate.

Q: Is sending people spam considered bad manners?

A: Spam refers to posting or e-mailing unsolicited messages, often advertising, to a wide audience. They didn’t ask for it, so why clutter up their mailbox with your junk? Refer again to the Netiquette Golden Rule: “E-mail unto others as you would have them e-mail unto you.”

This applies to people who clutter up the bandwidth by sending multiple e-mails and messages, by the way. Remember to respect time and bandwidth. You’re not the center of cyberspace, after all. Give others a shot in discussion groups and with multiple forwards, think twice before hitting “Send.”

Q: I just love those e-mail chain letters, where you have to dig up 20 names from your address book and force them to reply to some asinine request that will supposedly bring them “good luck” if they forward it to 20 of their friends, or “terrible misfortune” if they don’t. Is it okay for me to keep sending them out to everyone, forever and ever?

A: Sending chain mail is actually illegal, even online. Plus, no one has time to read or reply to such time-wasting crud these days. If you receive chain letters in your e-mail, don’t forward them; notify your webmaster instead.

Q: I notice people tend to get pretty casual in their online correspondence, sometimes sarcastic or risqué even with strangers. Whatever happened to good old manners? 

A: This goes to the heart of netiquette. Our appearance online is usually judged, not by how we look or talk, but by the quality of our language. If you take a position of authority online, make sure you know what you’re talking about. Don’t use offensive language, be confrontational, or use euphemisms instead of swearing; it’s crass. Try to make a good impression: review and edit your words and images before sending them.

Q: Lord, I hate long e-mail messages and blog entries! Why can’t people just say what they want to say in as few words as possible?

A: Just as with regular media sources, it pays to be concise. Think about what you want to say before rambling on for 50 aimless paragraphs. Be clear, but also be brief. If your e-mail message is short, people are more likely to read it.

Q: Sometimes I just want to “go off” on somebody in an e-mail. How do I prevent myself from flaming them beyond recognition?

A: If you’re wondering whether or not you are coming off too “highblood” in an e-mail, don’t send the message; save it and review it later. Remember:  no one can guess your mood, or tell whether you’re joking or not. They’ll judge by your words, which often can express the opposite of what you feel. Avoid using ALL CAPITAL LETTERS in e-mails: it’s equivalent to shouting or screaming at someone.

Q: Is it okay to look through other people’s e-mails, even if it’s just for entertainment?

A: Respect other people’s privacy. You wouldn’t want them reading your private mail or text messages, right? Because a lot of what we put online is meant for public viewing, this means we have to be more selective about what we put out there: it could be seen by anyone in the world including criminals, future employers, and governments. Not to mention your nosy officemate.

Q: Some people act like they’re all high and mighty just because they have a blog, making snarky comments about other people’s opinions all the time. What’s up with that?

A: Remember Spider-Man’s advice: With power comes great responsibility. Don’t abuse that power. Be forgiving of others’ mistakes, spelling errors or pointing out netiquette violations. Nobody’s perfect, and certainly not online.

Just like in real life, be considerate of other people’s feelings.