James Ryan K.

Guinto

STEM 1 - Innovation

In situations where there is no clear netiquette guideline, what should be

the basis for making a decision about how to behave online?
PUBLISHED ON FEBRUARY 6, 2023 BY JAMES GUINTO

The internet truly revolutionized our way of living especially when it comes to
communication which has now become the most preferred way or medium when it comes to
communicating with others. The internet has made it easier for us to interact and connect
with different people such as our friends, family, or even other strangers from around the
world. The internet has also made it easier for us to access different information that was
once limited to use, can only be accessed through print materials, and is not even often
available for humans to use in the past. Now with nearly 2 billion websites and sources on
the internet, the internet has truly changed how the world works and it has made life much
easier for most people. While those things are true, sadly, many internet users seem to
forget proper ethics or netiquette rules when engaging in different online activities. A lot of
them make bad and unwise decisions with their actions and words that lead to a range of
negative consequences such as offenses to other users, damage to reputation and
credibility, mental and emotional problems, etc. Sadly, not all internet platforms or features
have clear netiquette guidelines or rules which results in its users gaining the freedom and
courage to do such things online. Some examples are emojis and GIFs, online communities
and forums, business communications, interactions in virtual reality, etc. As users of the
internet, we have no choice and it's now up to our consciousness and discipline on how we
should behave online. It is also our responsibility to know our boundaries when engaging in
online activities.

There are several factors or basis that need to be considered when making a decision on
how we will engage in online activities and the first one is the context. When we are planning
to interact, react, share, post, or engage in any online activity, it is important to know the
context. We need to know our place or the platform that we are planning to engage in since
there are places on the internet where sarcasm and humor is accepted while there are
others that are not. Knowing the context will also help us determine our limits on behaving
online since we would know what is the right action and words in that situation just by
knowing the context. Some examples are professional forums and discussions which require
full focus, listening, and understanding since the topics covered there are more serious and
formal compared to others. The next basis that we need to consider is our audience. As we
all know, not all people on the internet have the same interpretation and understanding of
things with each other. For example, if we are interacting with friends or reacting and sharing
a friend’s post, the topic or discussion may be more casual and relaxed since we know each
other very well and we can even tell jokes to each other without offending someone.
However, there are parts of the internet where things need to be taken seriously such as
online or professional discussions and forums. On those platforms, we cannot just let out
whatever we want to say because people have different interpretations on a lot of things.
One good example is sarcasm and humor since some people may find them funny while
there are also people who may find it offensive or insulting because they may feel targeted
and belittled. Another example is the correct and appropriate use of emojis and GIFs since
these symbols or icons convey emotions and messages. Wrong use of emojis and GIFs may
lead to confusion and misinterpretation of the intended message. There are also emojis and
GIFs that may be offensive or insensitive since they also convey tone and when these
emojis and GIFs are delivered to the wrong audience, then problems may arise and it may
destroy the credibility and reputation of the user. The next thing that internet users must
consider when engaging online is their tone whenever they are posting or interacting with
someone. Similar to the audience, tone must also be considered since not everyone that
you’re interacting with might understand or comprehend your intended message correctly.
There are also many phrases out there that can be taken in a lot of ways depending on how
a person expresses it. Proper use of capitalization and grammar must also be checked since
they can also reflect your tone and improper use of these may change the way a person
perceives you and also their willingness to interact with you. Lastly, the most important basis
on how to behave online is none other than knowing your purpose first before you engage in
any online activity. Knowing the purpose will help us identify or determine the platform or
place that we will be engaging in. It will also help us understand the situation and guide us
on how we will act because sometimes we act differently depending on the atmosphere or
who is around us. For example, if your purpose is to ask questions on forums regarding
anything about your lessons in school or work, then expect that the response that you will
get will be more serious and straight to the point. If that’s the case, you know that you also
need to give them a serious and direct response since if you try to insert some humor or
sarcasm into it, then people will question whether you’re just trolling or you’re really serious
about your question.

To sum it all, the netiquette rule must be applied at all times whether there's a basis or rule
for it or even when there's not. We must all remember that internet etiquette is no different to
the way that we treat others in the real world since we are also communicating with real
people with real feelings and emotions. If you would like to be treated properly on the
internet, then remember to be respectful and polite whenever you’re interacting with
someone no matter what platform or community you’re in. Everyone on the internet has
different backgrounds or beliefs and the least thing that one can do is to be polite and
respectful when dealing with different internet users. I also don’t think that netiquette has its
actual rules or basis in most internet platforms since it is up to us and our own beliefs and
motivation on how to act towards others on the internet. We are all free to make decisions
about how we will act and speak online and each one of us is capable of determining what is
right and wrong. Don’t let the internet change us for the worse because of our poor
decision-making about our actions and words but instead, let us all become polite and
responsible users of the internet to promote a healthy relationship and environment for
everybody.

For more information, check out these sites:

https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/what-is-netiquette
https://harappa.education/harappa-diaries/what-is-netiquette-and-why-is-it-important/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/netiquettes
https://tcglobal.com/importance-of-netiquette-in-the-online-era/

Images:
https://www.cybersmile.org/wp-content/uploads/Netiquette.jpg
https://www.knowledgecity.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/netiquette-body.jpg
https://academy.avast.com/hubfs/New_Avast_Academy/netiquette_rules_the_basics_acade
my/Academy-Netiquette-rules-Thumb.jpg