Netiquette is a combination of the words ‘networking’ and ‘etiquette’ and refers to a set of guidelines and best practices for behaving in a respectful and courteous manner when communicating and interacting with others online.
These guidelines help to ensure that online interactions are respectful, positive and productive, and promote a healthy online environment.
This article will show you why netiquette is important in today’s information and global society, and what exactly it is.
The growing importance of netiquette is a result of the increased use of the Internet, the prevalence of social networking sites, and the growing popularity of the Internet itself.
- Growth in Internet use: As more people around the world gain access to the Internet, there is a greater need for established norms and guidelines to ensure respectful and constructive communication.
- Pervasiveness of online communication: The Internet has become a primary platform for social interaction, business and education. As a result, appropriate online behaviour is critical to maintaining professional relationships and fostering positive online communities.
- Remote working and learning: The rise of remote working and online learning due to technological advances and the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased reliance on virtual communication tools. Netiquette ensures that these virtual interactions remain effective, respectful and productive.
- Cultural diversity: The Internet connects people from different cultural backgrounds and with different communication styles. Following netiquette guidelines helps bridge these differences and promotes understanding and collaboration.
- Online reputation: In the digital age, your online presence and behaviour can have a lasting impact on your personal and professional reputation. Practicing good netiquette can help protect and enhance your online image.
- Cyberbullying and harassment: Following netiquette guidelines helps combat cyberbullying and harassment by promoting respectful behaviour and discouraging harmful actions.
- Miscommunication: Online communication can be more prone to misunderstandings due to the lack of non-verbal cues. Following netiquette principles helps minimise miscommunication by encouraging clear and concise messages.
- Share information and collaborate: The Internet is an invaluable resource for sharing knowledge and ideas. Netiquette helps ensure that this exchange of information is efficient, accurate and respectful.
General netiquette rules
For the above reasons, observing netiquette is very much a part of maintaining good relations with others in the online world. The following are some common netiquette rules.
- Be respectful and courteous: Treat others as you would like to be treated, and avoid using offensive language or engaging in personal attacks.
- Use clear and concise language: Make your messages easy to understand by using correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.
- Respect others’ privacy: Do not share personal information about others without their permission, and be careful with your own personal information.
- Don’t spam or flood: Avoid sending unsolicited messages, advertisements or excessive posts to forums, chats or social media.
- Be aware of caps lock: Typing in all caps is considered shouting and can be perceived as aggressive or rude.
- Stay on topic: When participating in discussions, contribute relevant information and avoid derailing the conversation.
- Use appropriate file formats and sizes: When sharing files, consider the bandwidth and device limitations of the recipient.
- Give credit where it’s due: When using someone else’s work, ideas or content, give proper attribution.
- Be patient and understanding: Recognise that not everyone has the same level of experience or knowledge, and allow for mistakes or misunderstandings.
By following these netiquette rules, individuals can foster positive, respectful, and inclusive online communities.
Online etiquette for video conference
Online etiquette for video conferences or lessons is important to ensure a productive and respectful virtual environment. By following these online etiquette guidelines, you can contribute to a successful and productive video conference or online lesson experience for everyone involved.
Here are some guidelines to follow when participating in video conferences or online lessons:
- Be punctual: Arrive a few minutes early to ensure your technology is working properly and to avoid disruptions.
- Test your equipment: Check your camera, microphone and internet connection before the meeting starts to minimise technical problems.
- Mute your microphone when you are not speaking: This helps reduce background noise and makes it easier for others to hear the speaker.
- Be aware of your surroundings: Choose a quiet, well-lit location without distractions or background noise.
- Dress appropriately: Even if you’re not in a physical meeting, it’s important to dress professionally and maintain a neat appearance.
- Use your real name: Identify yourself with your real name or a professional username so that others can address you properly.
- Be attentive and engaged: Pay attention to the speaker, take notes and avoid multitasking during the meeting.
- Use video when appropriate: Turn on your video if it’s required or encouraged, but be aware of your background and lighting.
- Raise your hand or use chat: Use the platform’s built-in tools to ask questions or make comments without interrupting the presenter.
- Practice active listening: Show that you’re engaged by nodding, smiling and maintaining eye contact with the speaker.
- Speak clearly and concisely: When it’s your turn to speak, articulate your thoughts clearly and get to the point quickly to respect others’ time.
- Be respectful and courteous: Treat others with kindness and respect their opinions, even if you disagree.
Making eye contact is an important aspect of online etiquette for video conferencing or lessons, as it shows that you are engaged and paying attention to the speaker. Here are some additional online etiquette tips, including how to make eye contact during video calls.
- Position the camera at eye level: Position your camera at a comfortable height and angle so it’s level with your eyes. This will help you maintain natural eye contact with other participants.
- Look into the camera: When speaking, try to look directly into the camera rather than at the screen, as this simulates eye contact. It may feel awkward at first, but it can make a big difference to how engaged and present you appear to others.
- Minimise distractions: Close any unnecessary applications or tabs on your computer to help you focus on the meeting or class. This will make it easier to maintain eye contact and pay attention to the presenter.
- Use the speaker or gallery view wisely: Depending on the video conferencing platform you are using, you can switch between different views to help you maintain better eye contact. Use the speaker view when you’re listening and the gallery view when you’re working with several participants.
- Pay attention to body language: In addition to eye contact, use positive body language to show that you are engaged. This includes nodding, smiling and maintaining an upright posture.
- Limit multitasking: Avoid checking your phone, typing or other activities during a video call. This will help you stay focused and maintain better eye contact with the person on the other end.
- Use non-verbal cues: Use hand gestures, facial expressions and head movements to show your agreement, disagreement or understanding of the topic being discussed.
- Take breaks when necessary: If you’re in a long video conference or class, taking short breaks can help you stay focused and engaged. Turn off your camera and step away for a moment.
While online etiquette shares a number of principles with face-to-face etiquette, there are unique aspects to consider to ensure effective and respectful communication in a virtual environment.
Online, we have a tendency to be careless and lazy with our manners, but in reality there are plenty of things to be aware of.
To maximise the benefits of the Internet, harness the power of netiquette and create a quality online network.
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