Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
By
Joseph Kayany
1. INTRODUCTION
by the users of the Internet for acceptable online behavior. These are developed over
time in a variety of virtual environments and internet applications. This article reviews the
computer technology and culture established by internet users (Miller, 2001). The norms
of behavior are adaptations of real life etiquette to the unique features of the online
technology and environment. Although many of these guidelines have evolved into
formal rules that system administrators and owners of proprietary systems enforce,
netiquette, in the broader arena of the Internet, is still based on an informal honor
system. Etiquette comes from the French word for 'ticket' (Shea, 1994) suggesting that
compliance with socially defined behavioral norms is the ticket for entry to a network or
society. Violators may be ignored and ostracized by the members of the group.
redefined within the cultural milieu of a collectivity. These norms are rarely universal but
Rules and norms are part of the unique identity of any social collective.
Respecting group norms demonstrates fundamental respect to the group itself (When in
Rome, do as the Romans do) and is essential to building community. The Internet as a
social collective is, however, very different from other groups. First, it is not grounded on
affinities of culture, race, or physical proximity. Secondly, it is growing faster than any
other community in history. Traditions and cultural norms are useful in dealing with such
the one hand, it is unable, as of now, to convey the full range of non-verbal
communication cues, and on the other, it gives users greater control over both the
synchronous and asynchronous interaction with individuals both far and near. On the
one hand, its users can disguise their identities, but on the other, the messages
exchanged on the Internet are guaranteed to be neither private nor secure. These
unique features do influence the process and outcome of communication that occur
through the Internet. The conventions that develop over time around a communication
technology are often the by-products of the collective experience of those who have
and academics to exchange research data and documents, those with access to the
network often used it for social interaction, as a convenient, informal, and quick
Internet etiquette Page # 3
newsgroups that allowed the simulation of a group discussion also became popular.
Network users could access virtual locations where messages classified by topic were
shared spaces because of shared interests. Their posts and responses were
experienced as group communication activities that led to group bonding, affinity, and
Unfortunately, life in these ‘virtual communities’ was often not as tranquil and
uncharacteristically unruly behavior on the net had several explanations. Some argued
that the type of people who inhabited the net in the early days of computer-mediated
communication were responsible (Lea, O'Shea, Fungi, & Spears, 1992). Early net users
were almost exclusively young computer professionals and hackers, who not only
transformation. The Internet allowed them break free of the traditional spatial boundaries
boundaries. Flaming was seen as a by-product of this new adolescent hacker culture
that defied traditional definitions of appropriate behavior. Flaming was also thought of as
communication channel that is low in 'social presence' - a measure of the extent to which
a person experiences the other person's presence during the communication process.
Internet etiquette Page # 4
Since the chance of a face-to-face encounter between users is limited, it’s easy to feel
insulated and anonymous. People are more willing to engage in socially inappropriate
behavior when they perceive the other person to be distant -- often on another part of
It was not rare to find such virtual communities becoming war zones where civility
and community building gave way to acrimony and hostility. In this context it became
clear to many Internet users that civility and mutual respect were vital to maintain the
practice and communicated it in publicly accessible files called FAQs (Frequently Asked
Questions). Newcomers were expected to read these and comply with the suggested
standards. Ironically, many flames were initiated by “old timers” trying to chastise
1.5 Flaming
group norms is known as 'flaming'. A flame can initiate a series of flames or a flame-war.
member of the group. It could be because a new member is perceived to have violated
interpreted as offensive by any one of the hundreds of users and it could lead to a flame
Internet etiquette Page # 5
war. The inability to convey emotions and mood has been a major drawback of the
medium.
One of the ways the online community addressed the lack of non-verbal cues
smiling face created with a colon, hyphen and right parenthesis on the keyboard :-)
looks like a smiling face when you bend your head to the side. A winking smile can be
created with a semicolon, hyphen and right parenthesis ;-) that says ‘I am only joking’ or
‘I am being ironic’. When this combination of keystrokes is added after a text, it tells the
reader that the text that precedes it is being written in a jovial mood and ought to be
taken in that spirit. Table 1 below shows some of the most popular smilies.
wished to congregate, communicate, and relate to others like themselves. But in the
1990s, there was a radical shift in the direction of the Internet’s growth. The introduction
of the World Wide Web’s user-friendly interface was one of the primary reasons for its
enormous popularity among the public. The original metaphor of virtual community gave
way to a new way of thinking about the Internet – as an information superhighway and a
vehicle for e-commerce. As more people flooded to the Internet for its ‘informational and
commercial’ potential, the public’s attention was diverted from its potential for
information like the radio, TV, newspaper or the library and another channel of
workplace, schools and at home. People used email to interact not only with strangers
around the globe, but more frequently to keep in touch with their colleagues, neighbors,
and friends. As a result, the perception of online media as the lifeline to a unique
cyberspace existence and of netiquette as the universal norms of behavior in the virtual
world gave way to real life norms of behavior adapted to the multitude of social contexts.
reflection of the physical world, with highly contextualized norms of behavior specific to a
group, corporation, society, or community. These norms are extensions of the existing
traditional practices is useful because they are based on a clear grasp of the strengths
and weaknesses of the technology and founded on the core principle of all etiquette –
respect for the other. The remaining sections of this article are devoted a discussion of
Internet etiquette Page # 7
the norms that have found broad acceptance among the users of internet applications
such as email, bulletin boards, chat rooms, FTP, and World Wide Web. Perhaps the best
use of these guidelines would be as benchmarks while individuals and groups discern
2. EMAIL NETIQUETTE
Email netiquette guidelines revolve around the central theme – respect. While
trying to effectively present the message and ourselves, we should take care to respect
the receiver, his or her convenience, bandwidth and privacy as well as the email
conventions and symbolisms developed over time. It is worth reiterating, however, that
these norms are neither universally applicable nor appropriate to all communication
situations. Interaction history is a key factor that governs decisions regarding appropriate
purpose, size, and geographical dispersion may contribute to the dynamic of discerning
Salutations: It is safe to use the same salutation that you would use in other forms of
communication such as a written letter, telephone, or face to face. For instance, if the
correspondent signs his/her first name in the email to you, you can use the first name
salutation while replying, although conventions regarding the use of first name ought to
Aim at consistency: You may check and respond to your email once a day or once a
week, but what is important is that you be consistent. People develop expectations on
how soon they can expect a reply from you. Inform others if you not available to maintain
the routine. Use the auto-responder function of email programs to inform those
Internet etiquette Page # 8
expecting a reply from you that you are unavailable. However, avoid using the auto-
Be kind to new users: Ignore the netiquette violations of others, especially of new
comers. If you must point out errors, do it with compassion, always through a message
sent directly to the email address of the offender and not to the entire group.
Redirect missed deliveries: If you receive in error a message intended for another,
forward it to the appropriate person with a note. If you do not know the email address of
Signature file: Make sure that pertinent sender information is appended to the end of
each message. It is common practice is to use a 'signature file' that gets automatically
appended to each message. It contains all the necessary information about the sender --
name, title, organizational affiliation, mailing address, email address, phone and fax
numbers. Limit the size of signature files to four lines. Avoid long quotes or images built
out of keyboard characters that will often appear as gibberish if the default font setting of
Resist the urge to respond to flame: If you are the victim of a flame, do not respond while
you are still emotional. It is safe to leave the reply in your outbox for a day before
sending it. If a flame was sent to a list of people and you feel compelled to respond to
the flame, do not send the reply to the whole group; instead, email your response to the
person directly.
Protect privacy of email messages. Any personal email you receive is intended for “your
eyes only”. It is not appropriate to forward such email without the sender's permission.
Protect privacy of email addresses: While emailing a list of recipients, if you put the
email addresses in the To: or CC: fields, the email addresses of all the recipients will be
Internet etiquette Page # 9
displayed to each recipient at the top of the message. When you are sending a common
email to a group of people who may not be known to each other, you risk disclosing the
email addresses of those who may not want it to be published. This can compromise the
privacy of the recipients. No one has the right to give out another person's email
address. You can address this problem by putting the email addresses of all the
recipients in the bcc: (Blind Carbon Copy) field. The list of email addresses will then not
When members of the group are known to each other, displaying the email addresses of
all recipients may have value. For example, in arranging a meeting of a small working
group, it may help members to know who has been invited or copied. Nevertheless, it of
annoying when one has to scroll through a long list of addresses to get to the message.
Respect copyright: Do not forward anything, articles, graphics, music, or multimedia files
that are copyrighted. Remember that personal email is also copyrighted. If you are not
sure about the copyright, verify. If the author grants permission to distribute the
Be brief: A general netiquette principle is that one's communications should not waste
other people's time. There are people who receive hundreds of emails daily. Many
people pay for internet connection by the hour. Hence, keep the messages brief and to
the point.
Include meaningful subject headings: Use detailed subject headings. Instead of the
generic 'Greetings' or 'Hello' or 'Question for you', the subject line should contain a clear
summary of your message that allows the receiver to know what the message is about
without having to open it. It allows the receiver to prioritize the hundreds of messages
he/she receives each day. Many people look for clear subject lines to evaluate the
Internet etiquette Page # 10
legitimacy of the message because there have been many instances of emails with
subject lines.
Use one topic per email: Make sure that each email addresses only one topic. Multiple
subjects in the same email are harder for the receiver to file and retrieve. Further, if an
email with multiple topics has to be forwarded to different people for appropriate action,
Increase scannability: Increase the ability of recipients to scan the message by writing
short paragraphs and by including sub-headings if the message is more than a screen
full long.
Use Plain text: It is tempting to use the formatting capabilities of the new email programs
and create a message in HTML with fancy fonts, colors, and images. In addition to
clogging the network and increasing the download time, many email programs are
unable to display formatting. Often such HTML formatting appears as gibberish making
the message unreadable. However, if all the recipients are capable of receiving HTML
formatted messages, you may use such formatting. You can avoid the hassle of having
to keep track of each person’s computer capabilities by sending messages as plain text
only.
Use acronyms and slang with care: Acronyms and slang should be used only when you
are sure that the other person knows the meaning. It is easy to assume that the receiver
is familiar with them. Acronyms save key strokes for the sender but they might make
comprehension of the message more difficult for the receiver. Slang may hold different
Refer to the message in reply: When replying to a message, include portions of the
original message so that the receiver will immediately know the reference of your
response. However, include only those portions of the message that are relevant to the
response.
Think of those with slow connections: A majority of internet users rely on slow modem
connections to access the Net. Many people pay for the internet connection by the hour.
Hence, it is important that your emails do not result in loss of time or money for the
recipients.
Avoid empty shells: Do not include the whole text of a long message if you have nothing
of substance to say than 'okay', 'yes' or ‘me-too’. In this respect, it is important to respect
Internet etiquette Page # 12
the customs of the group. If the group values such brief notes of support,
perfectly appropriate.
Ask permission for attachments: When sending attachments, ask the recipients if they
are interested in receiving the file. Always send the file in a format that is compatible with
Verify that attachments are virus-free: There are now viruses that propagate via people’s
address books so you may appear to be receiving an attachment from a friend when it is
is important to explain what the attachment is and that you certify it is virus-free.
Be stingy with copies: Limit distribution of copies of emails based on the need to know.
Be judicious with the forward option: Many a netiquette violation occurs because of the
show, chain letters, inspirational stories, or virus warnings. Refrain from forwarding
anything on which you would not spend first class postage if you were to mail it out. As
for virus warnings do not forward them unless you have verified them.
AVOID ALL-CAPS: Use mixed case to type the message. Don't type the messages in all
caps. Not only is all-caps text harder to read, but it is also considered the cyberspace
equivalent of shouting. This is one of the conventions accepted from the early years of
sentence.
Internet etiquette Page # 13
Avoid all lowercase: Avoid all lowercase as well because the receiver may interpret it as
that the message should not be construed as formal. Acronyms, informal grammar, and
all lowercase are the online equivalent of a scribbled note as opposed to a carefully
Incorporate emotions: Always be aware that email is a text medium. In the absence of
facial expression or voice, the tone of the message can easily be misinterpreted. Smilies
may help convey some of the emotions but they should be used sparingly. Use only the
most common smilies; it is possible that some of your recipients may not understand the
meaning of a smiley (Table 1). Therefore, a verbal indication of the emotion being
expressed in brackets can be used instead of smilies to make sure that the receivers are
clear about the tone of your message. (Example: {smile}. Some people have begun
using pseudo-HTML tags around text to indicate these emotions. Example: <smile> This
text is silly </smile). Do not, however, use smilies in communication environments where
Use humor with EXTREME caution: Body language cues are essential to the
interpretation of humor and sarcasm. In the absence of such cues, exercise EXTREME
sentence structure, and punctuation. Re-read the messages before clicking the send
button. However, it is also considered to rude to criticize spelling mistakes, typos, and
Do not forward executable files: Never forward any executable files. Many viruses are
Keep your system virus free: One of the dangers of computers being connected to each
other is the possibility of a virus-infected computer infecting others. Hence, one of the
important netiquette duties of every computer user is to keep his/her system healthy with
regular virus checks. However, if you notice that your system has been infected, send a
warning to all your email contacts about a possible virus infection that may have reached
Break the circle of hoaxes, urban legends, and chain letters: These are messages that
originate from some evil genius and get re-circulated by the newbies and the naïve. Old
hoaxes never die; they just get a new life cycle. Some hoaxes have been reborn so
many times that they are often considered “urban legends”. For instance there is a
proprietary cookie recipe that the sender is apparently circulating to get even with the
owners of the recipe. Then there is a story of a kid who wanted to get a postcard from as
many people as possible before he died. There are plenty of phony messages and
pranks on the Net especially as we get closer to April 1 each year. The best thing to do
Check the validity of virus hoaxes: The most popular of such practical jokes is a virus
hoax that asks the recipients to forward it to as many people as they know. Don’t forward
it before you check with virus system administrators to ascertain the veracity of a virus
warning. This will help you protect your own system as well as those of the others.
Reject chain letters: A typical chain letter asks recipients to forward it in exchange for
some spiritual or material reward, often with a threat of harm if you don't forward it. Don't
forward such messages to anyone unless you know the message is true, or you can
authenticate the message and the identity of the sender. In all likelihood, it will be
impossible to reach the originator because most pranks and hoaxes have forged
that any attempt to use email for advertising or sale of products and services was
considered the most serious violation of netiquette. However, the success of direct mail
as a very effective advertising method has encouraged people to blatantly disregard this
principle. Advertisers have taken on to email because of the ease of distribution and low
cost. Despite all protests by those who resent such commercial use of email (known as
spamming is not going to go away because it does hit the few interested people. But
every sales person recognizes that respecting the customers and dealing with them
honestly generates customer good will. It is the sneaky spammer that people resent the
most.
Use honest subject lines: State clearly the commercial purpose of the email. Some
advertisers prefix the subject line with “Adv:” that lets the receiver know that the
message is an advertisement.
Use one-line solicitation: Instead of mailing out a detailed description of the product or
service, mail a one-line solicitation asking those interested to email for details. Even
those not interested in what you are selling would appreciate your respect for their
bandwidth.
Suppress email addresses: Always use email software that suppresses the email
Customize lists: Use customized databases of recipients. Direct your emails to those
most likely to be interested in your product or idea. It is also appropriate to conduct initial
research on how commercial messages are likely to be received and to spare those
Provide a remove option that works: Give a legitimate option for people to remove their
name from your mailing lists. Often when people use the 'remove' button to request
removal of their email address, they start getting more spam because the 'remove'
button was a trap. By requesting removal they have verified that theirs is indeed a 'live'
Know the law: There may be regulations prohibiting commercial email in some
spamming. Even when no laws exist prohibiting such activity, remember that excesses
by spammers might result in eventual legislation that will make it difficult to use this
Email is not ephemeral: Do not email anything that you would not say face to face to a
person. Emails can be saved and circulated. Hence do not email anything that can
cause you embarrassment if your boss, spouse, friends, or children read it, now or years
later. Don't email any thing that you don't want to see in print, posted on a bulletin
board, in a newsletter or in front of a jury. Always be aware of the privacy policies of your
Seek clarity: Very often email communication occurs with people we do not know in real
life. Our impressions of each other are based exclusively on the way text is presented in
3. GROUP NETIQUETTE
participants. There are three major types of group communication platforms (Table 3)
that differ in terms of how they regulate access and deliver messages. Listservs and
newsgroups store the messages in the host computer. Newsgroups have open access
policy that allows anyone to access the messages. Listservs restrict access to
subscribers only. Access to messages on mail servers is also limited to subscribers but
they differ from listservs in how they deliver messages. Listservs store the messages in
the host computer that subscribers can access, whereas mail servers forward copies of
apply to group discussion settings because group posts are essentially emails directed
knowing who the participants are. Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to
netiquette so that we do not cause discomfort to any one of the members. We have to
Read FAQs and lurk: Do not jump right into the discussion. Read the FAQs and the
themselves. Then lurk around and listen to the conversation to get a sense of who the
Pay attention to procedure: Read the instructions on the procedure for subscribing and
unsubscribing. Pay special attention to the two separate email addresses commonly
used by mailing lists and listservs. The first is for sending 'subscribe' and 'unsubscribe'
requests. The second is for posting messages to the group. Avoid the common mistake
Avoid empty messages: If your post does not add value to the discussion and is not of
interest to the whole group, don't send it. Avoid messages that contain 'test', 'hello', or
'me too'. You can post test messages in test groups. If you want to congratulate or thank
Freeloaders: Do your own homework and try to find the answer before posting a
question in a group. Posting a request for help should not be the lazy way out of
Auto-responders: Turn off the auto-responder function of the email addresses that are
used to subscribe to a mailing list. Or else, to every message forwarded to the email
address by the mail server, a receipt response will be send back to the server which in
turn will be distributed to every member thus creating a large volume of unwanted email
in the group.
Cross-posting: Generally, it is not considered appropriate to send the same post to more
than one group. When a message is cross-posted to several related groups to assure
that it reaches all those potentially interested in it, people subscribed to several related
groups end up getting multiple copies. If you decide to cross-post, you can minimize the
Internet etiquette Page # 19
annoyance of those who receive multiple copies by making the message brief and
Be generous: Offer answers and help if you are in a position to do so. The usefulness of
a group depends on what group members are willing to contribute. Share your expertise
Email responses: If you post a question, don't ask for the answer to be emailed to you.
Other people may have similar questions and might benefit from the answers posted in
the group. Moreover, members might point out a wrong answer if it is posted to the
group. Requests that information be emailed to you because you don't normally read the
them and make the summary available so that others might learn.
No personal messages: Do not post personal emails intended for an individual in the
discussion group. Such messages waste the bandwidth of the rest of the group.
Messages that are not of interest to the group should not be posted to the group.
to the group. If compelled to send an emotional response to a member that could spark
a flame war, email the message directly to the member and not to the group.
Avoid commercial uses: Most group participants resent any effort to use the forum for
the other hand, you may use your expertise in an area of interest to the group and help
group members. This in turn can create good will among group members who might
Do not post copyrighted material without permission: Don't post copyrighted material to
the group without explicit permission to do so. Remember, personal email is copyrighted.
Never ever post a personal email from another person to the group without permission.
Protect privacy: Don’t disclose personal information -- including passwords, credit card
numbers, home addresses, or phone numbers to anyone online. Do not post other
Public nature of groups: Remember that discussion forums are public forums and that
messages are archived. Hence, do not post a message that may cause you
Chat and instant messaging are Internet applications that allow users to interact
with each other in real time. With these applications, simultaneous or synchronous
interaction is made possible either in a public forum or in a private space between two or
more individuals. Chat and instant messaging are used primarily in an informal,
used as a way to manage time and get a quick turnaround on something in a work
environment.
Many of the email and group netiquette guidelines discussed above apply to
or instant messaging are those norms based on the unique features of the real-time
environment.
Internet etiquette Page # 21
Be brief. Instant messaging is not meant for long messages. Some chat systems limit
length of messages. If you have to post long messages, break it up into multiple
Choose appropriate handles and nicknames: Some chat programs, require you to
choose a 'handle' or 'nickname' in order for users to chat without revealing their true
identity. Choose a name that reflects well on you. Do not select names for their shock
value. Do not use this facility to impersonate someone else. It is also not considered
appropriate to keep on changing one's handle frequently during the same session.
Lurk after introductions: If you are new to the group, lurk for a while to familiarize
yourself with the topic being discussed, the tone of conversation, and above all the
culture of the group. Unlike in bulletin boards, however, one cannot lurk anonymously in
a chat room. Others are aware that you have entered the room. Hence, if you plan to
lurk rather than participate in discussion, it is appropriate for you to introduce yourself
Greeting the group: When you enter a room, greeting the group is appropriate. The form
of greeting will depend on familiarity with the group participants. With friends, a *kotc* or
Label personal messages: If a post is directed at one of the members, address them by
name so that the group knows that it is meant for one of them.
individuals in the chat room is a legitimate use of chat rooms. Hence, do not 'barge' into
'private' rooms where your presence is unwelcome or where you are not invited.
Internet etiquette Page # 22
the sending of a large amount of text to a channel in a short amount of time. One can
cause flooding by hitting the return key repeatedly or by inputting large images. This
causes the chat room screen to "scroll" so fast that it becomes difficult for other
In voice chat-rooms, any behavior that would make it difficult to participate in the chat is
considered a netiquette violation. For example, leaving the microphone open and playing
materials, or any other forms of solicitation in chat rooms, except in those areas (e.g.,
Know that chat can be logged: Though a chat environment simulates a face-to-face
interaction where the words spoken are ephemeral, chat room conversations and instant
email is applicable to chat messages as well. Sloppy writing and spontaneous flames
Say your goodbyes: When ready to leave the room, say you are about to leave. Wait a
while before you quit so that you will have chance to respond to any messages that were
already in transit when you announced your intention to leave. Your last message
Use alerts: Most chat programs allow the user to indicate his or her status and
availability. Use these alerts consistently, so that those wishing to contact you can check
on your availability.
Internet etiquette Page # 23
Respect other’s convenience: Technically, instant messaging and chat enable real time
interaction but remember that it is contingent upon the availability and convenience of
both parties. Your need to chat or instant message should not disrespect the other
5. FTP NETIQUETTE
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is an application that allows internet users to move
required to access most network computers; however, documents and programs for
public distribution are saved in a section of these computers that can be accessed
downloading of documents and programs from this public space through a process
to the 'password' prompt with your email address, though it is not necessary to gain
access to the server. This allows the system administrators to track the level of FTP
Download large files during off-peak hours: When possible limit downloads, especially
Minimize connection time: Keep FTP connection times minimal. Don't leave an FTP
connection open and unattended if you're not using it. You will be tying up a line for
another user trying to access the site. You should respect the time restrictions of the
sites you visit, in order to enable other users who want to use the site.
Pay copyright and shareware fees: Check for copyright or licensing agreements before
program, pay the fee if you decide to keep the program after the prescribed free trial
period. Sometimes, copyrighted software may have been illegally uploaded into FTP
archives. Hence, check the copyright. If there is any doubt regarding the copyright of a
to FTP sites. Don't upload files without the permission from the system administrator of
Check for viruses: Do not upload virus-infected programs to FTP sites, and conversely,
Web development has gone through various stages of evolution. In the early
HTML days of the web, when it was a text-based system designed to create an
interlinked knowledge pool, content was at the heart of web development. Later, when it
became central. Many of the designers took to the web as a form of creative self-
there has been greater attention on the usability of web sites as well as the
responsiveness of organizations via their websites. The emphasis seems to have shifted
communication, netiquette becomes a key factor. From the point of view of the
designers, it involves respect for the users and their information needs.
Design with the user in mind: Usability pertains to designing and maintaining a web site
such that visitors will be able to meet their information needs in an efficient and user-
pages, and providing valuable up-to-date information. A good site is logically organized
Make each page on the site freestanding: Most web users arrive at a site via search
engines. This means that they do not often enter a site through the front page or the
splash page. Hence, it is important that every page on the site has the information
regarding the organization affiliation of the website, the physical location/address of the
organization, the date the page was last updated, an email link to contact the webmaster
Inform those listed as external links: Many websites increase value to their sites by
providing external links. In the early years, it was recommended that you request
permission for linking be sought. Doing so may not be practical any longer because
some of the popular sites may get flooded with requests for permission. However, it is a
good etiquette from your perspective to inform those you have linked to your site. The
owners of these sites may choose to ignore you or they may reciprocate by linking to
your site.
Permission for borrowed content: Anything on the web - graphics, text, audio , video,
and the design, is copyrighted. Although legal action can be pursued only if the website
is registered, it is certainly against all netiquette guidelines to steal from others' websites
without permission.
Direct link to graphics on another site: A worse offense is to provide a direct link to a
graphic on your website. This means that every time a user clicks to your page, the
user’s browser goes to the linked site to download the graphic. With every hit to your
site, the other website's bandwidth is being is used without any sort of remuneration.
Internet etiquette Page # 26
inappropriate for young people, in addition to providing a splash page that warns visitors
of the nature of the content, designers should make it easier for people to block websites
if they consider that the content on your site is inappropriate for themselves or their
Consider bandwidth limitations: Despite the hype about the broadband internet solutions,
most people access the internet using modem connections. High-resolution graphics,
audio files, and video increase download time. Ten seconds is considered the threshold
of frustration. Designers should make an effort to design pages low on graphic content
so that their pages will load under ten seconds. Thumbnails of larger images should be
used so that users can decide if they want to open the big picture.
Design for cross-browser compatibility: Colors, graphics and text are displayed
differently on different browsers and monitors. Designers should seek to achieve cross-
browser compatibility by including only those features that are available on all browsers.
Web-safe colors and generic fonts should be used as far as possible. Do not design for
the latest versions of browsers, plugins, or monitors. If tables are used to design pages,
make sure that the table width is not greater than 600 pixels. Be wary of using design
features such as frames that older versions of browsers do not support. If a page
requires a plugin or program to correctly open it, provide the link to the site where the
Make the site accessible: When providing audio and visual content, provide alternate
text content that conveys essentially the same function or purpose as auditory or visual
content. Add ALT tags to every non-text element on the site to make the site accessible
to the vision-impaired, those using text browsers, those using non-graphic channels
Internet etiquette Page # 27
such as pagers, and mobile phones, or those who have turned off the graphic display
capability of their browsers. When using color, make sure that text and graphics are
understandable even without color. If you use tables for layout provide a non-table
Privacy issues: Web designers have developed ways of tracking the users by implanting
cookies in the user's computer. Cookies can make life easier for the users by
remembering previous settings, passwords, etc. But companies often use them to gather
valuable data on the web browsing habits of users. When done surreptitiously, it is not
email address to contact the owner of the website. In addition to the convenience
associated with it, publishing the email address is also symbolic – that you welcome
communication from the users. As a result, users expect a reply. A timely response is
good netiquette. Many organizations have not yet recognized the significance of being
responsive to emails that originate from their websites. It is probably more important in
website.
Copyright issues for web users: The area where web users violate netiquette most
frequently involves copyright. Browsers have made it easy for people to download
documents, graphics, audio files and video. It is easy to assume that when there is no
clear copyright statement, it is not copyrighted. You may not use graphics, text, audio or
video from other websites on your own site unless the owners clearly indicate that the
7: INTERNATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
America, it is no surprise that English became its lingua franca and norms of behavior
were developed in the context of the cultural and ethical standards of the West. As the
guidelines will become increasingly situational and culture-specific. This will make it
harder for net users to be sure that they do not give offense. In the case of email it is not
so hard to be sensitive to the cultural and social context of the recipient because we
know who the recipient is. But it becomes more difficult in discussion groups and
websites where the recipients are not known. In these contexts, consider the following
Use generic language: Remember that the majority of people who read and understand
English are not native-born English speakers. Hence, as far as possible, use simple
language. Avoid slang, acronyms, and contextual innuendo. It is rare that people in one
part of the world will understand local slang or be aware of an acronym in another part of
the world.
Use universal time and measurements: Use the date and time format that will be
accessed by people from different parts of the world. Use September 11 instead of 9/11,
which may be confused for 11th September or 9th November. Time is best written as
2:30 P.M. GMT or 14:30 GMT. When indicating measurements, use both metric and
Use humor with extreme caution: Even the funniest stories can offend someone in some
place. Hence, use humor with extreme caution when an international audience has
positions of authority and those who are older expect certain deference from those
younger. Hence, you have to consider age and rank while deciding the tone of the email.
In some parts of the world, all forms of written communication are considered formal. As
long as you are not sure how formal you are expected to be, start the initial emails in a
formal tone. Eventually, you will know the extent to which you can become informal.
8. ENFORCING NETIQUETTE
Increasingly, netiquette norms are becoming formal rules that require compliance
from users. Group moderators and Internet Service Providers (ISP) have set them up as
conditions for access. Courts have upheld the right of the ISPs to suspend services to
those who violate these norms of behavior. The decentralized nature of the Internet
supervise online behavior. On the other hand, informal enforcement of netiquette has
who flame, pursue, and track down violators, each net user is encouraged to educate
Help educate/inform the newbie: Most netiquette violations are committed by newbies
who do not have the patience to read the FAQs. Politely inform then of violations through
Ignore the flamer and the evangelist: It is wiser to provide silent treatment to those
flooding the internet forums with a constant flow of propaganda. Today’s email and
bulletin board programs allow us to filter out messages from email addresses and
Internet etiquette Page # 30
domains with whom we do not want to have interaction. Known traditionally as the “Kill
file”, this feature can be used to effectively ban people from your network.
Report violators: Despite having strict rules, most ISPs do not have a mechanism to
identify violators. Hence, they want members to report violators. Most ISPs have an
consistently violates rules regarding flaming and spamming, take time to report them to
9. CONCLUSION
Because of the asynchroneity of the medium, the Internet is perhaps the most
polite and considerate form of communication. Email messages don't interrupt recipients
during dinner (Miller, 2001). Respect for the other is ingrained in the very nature of
email.
Despite the speed of delivery and apparent informality, the Internet can also be a
out of words that we may later regret. The Internet allows us to compose a message with
thought, and consideration for the other person. The absence of non-verbal cues is often
helps us avoid unpleasant situations. We can walk away from a confrontational situation
by ignoring an insult or avoid people with whom we do not want to interact without being
rightful place among the channels of communication as one of the options available to
us. Thus, choosing a medium that is respectful of the communication situation and the
10. REFERENCES
Kiesler, S., Siegel, J., & McGuire, T. (1984). Social psychological aspects of computer-
mediated communication. American Psychologist, 39, 1123-1134.
Lea, M., O'Shea, T., Fung, P., & Spears, R. (1992). 'Flaming' in computer-mediated
communication: Observations, explanations, and implications. In M. Lea (Ed.),
Contexts of Computer-mediated Communication (pp. 89-112). New York:
Harvester-Wheatsheaf.
Miller, S. (2001). E-Mail Etiquette: Do's, don'ts, and disaster tales from People
magazine's internet manners expert. New York: Warner Books.
Shapiro, N.Z. & R. H. Anderson (1985). Towards and ethics and etiquette for electronic
mail. Rand Corporation. R-3283-NSF/RC. Available at
http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/R3283.