Respectful Online Communication Etiquette (Netiquette)

Modern internet users Online Communication Etiquette with each other in virtual spaces, rarely considering existing forms of politeness. However, there are entire scientific studies devoted to email correspondence. So-called netiquette, or netiquette, applies to any electronic communication, from SMS to social media.

Online Communication Etiquette

A dog instead of pigeon post.

Initially, netiquette applied exclusively to email, the first form of electronic Online Communication Etiquette. Despite the abundance of written and unwritten rules, one must remember the main thing: a real person is sitting at the other computer. Therefore, during a conversation, it is important to remember the basic norms of politeness accepted in real life.

A few simple rules will help avoid misunderstandings. For example, an email should have the outward “attributes” of a regular letter. That is, it must contain an address, preferably personal, and the email should also end with a polite farewell.

An email should be neither too long nor too short. Ideally, the email should not “crawl” off the screen; that is, it should fit entirely on a standard monitor.

Another unspoken rule:

each email should be devoted to only one topic. If there’s something else to communicate, it’s better to write about it in another email.

A 21st-Century Telegram:

Unlike email, SMS messages rarely have strict stylistic requirements. SMS is a kind of 21st-century telegram. Here, the primary, and practically sole, purpose is to convey information, and the primary criterion is clarity. Therefore, one should avoid potentially incomprehensible abbreviations or errors that turn the message into a sacramental “execute, cannot pardon.”

Despite the ease of using SMS services, one should remember basic rules of politeness. For example, one should not end an SMS conversation without explanation. This is as rude as abruptly hanging up the phone in the middle of a conversation. And since SMS is primarily a means of informal Online Communication Etiquette, short messages should not be used for formal invitations or information about important events.

Ignorance of the rules doesn’t exempt you from a ban. When it comes to Online Communication Etiquette directly on websites, such as forums, chats, or in the “comments” section, there are three main categories into which all aspects of netiquette are divided.

The first category—psychological—concerns the rules of addressing others (formally “you” or “ty” or “vy”), the use and quantity of emoticons, and other attributes of modern Online Communication Etiquette.

Technical criteria include rules regarding the use of specific line lengths, the use of transliteration, message size limits, and so on.

Administrative rules include rules for naming threads, quoting, the use of advertising, and the permissibility of flaming.

Above all, common sense should be used and respect should be exercised. However, chat rooms and Online Communication Etiquette forums are becoming the most frequent venues for violations of netiquette, despite the fact that every forum participant should familiarize themselves with these rules before registering.

 

Flames are a so-called “war of words” that develops from ordinary Online Communication Etiquette. Typically, when such hostility begins, the parties forget the original topic, become personal, and are unable to stop. Flames can usually only be ended by a moderator of the online community or chat. Such online disputes yield no constructive results. Whatever the arguments of the participants, truth will not emerge from flames.

Floods (from the English “flood”) are messages that contain no useful information. But what irritates other forum members most is the sheer volume of such messages. Typically, the penalty for such violations is suspension from the discussion (banning).

Spam is generally understood to mean advertising mailings sent to a large number of addresses. Such messages are found not only in personal email inboxes but also on forum pages. Spam should be treated with suspicion, as these messages offer no value and can even harm your computer.

Off-topic messages are messages that are not relevant to the topic of the current discussion.