Q4

Question 4

Digital Etiquette

Digital Etiquette - is defined as “the standards of conduct expected by other digital technology users” (Ribble & Bailey, 2007). In other words, Digital conduct refers to how people should behave when using the internet. It is expected that users behave in an appropriate and responsible way when using technology and it is important to teach those who do not have digital etiquette how to behave in an ethical manner.

Inappropriate conduct would include; sexual harassment, cyber bullying, verbal abuse, fraud, child pornography, racism etc. Inappropriate conduct has a profound effect on society as it is easier for people to behave inappropriately over the internet where they can remain anonymous. Cyberbullying causes psychological, emotional and physical stress which has led to many suicides which has impacted negatively on society. Families are torn apart, lives are lost and money is lost as a result of inappropriate digital conduct. Sexual harassment is also another issue that impacts on society as people are left traumatized and scarred for the rest of their lives. The problem with inappropriate conduct is that there are no ramifications because people remain anonymous which is why it is so hard to put it to an end.

According to data compiled by Equal Rights Advocates, a woman’s law centre in the U.S., 90 to 95% of sexually harassed women suffer from some debilitating stress reaction, including anxiety, depression, headaches, sleep disorders, weight loss or gain, nausea, lowered self-esteem and sexual dysfunction. In addition, victims of sexual harassment lose $4.4 million dollars in wages and 973,000 hours in unpaid leave each year in the United States.

Inappropriate activity in the workplace comes in many forms. Verbal abuse of co-workers or subordinates, as well as aggressive behaviours and violence are among types of conduct that can be considered inappropriate. As a result of inappropriate conduct in the workplace employees will not be able to perform and be productive because they are distracted and worried. Employees may find the inappropriate conduct overwhelming and quit their jobs which will impact on the economy as less and less people are going to work and earn money.

Inappropriate conduct has a dramatic effect on society as everyone living in today’s world can be reached and harmed by anyone which has led to suicide, job loss, physiological issues, economic issues etc. It is vital that appropriate conduct is followed online so that we can live in a world where there is no discrimination and harassment.

Netiquette is another way to describe the rules that should be followed while writing on the Internet. A few of the rules include proof-reading, being careful what you say, and replying in a short amount of time (Jacobson & Thorp, 2007). It is important for parents and students to learn the proper ways to communicate using the Internet, which is why digital etiquette is a necessary component to digital citizenship. Cyberbullying is a direct result of poor netiquette. The National Crime Prevention Council defines cyber bullying as “online bullying, [that] happens when teens use the Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person” (Jacobson & Thorp, 2007). It is imperative that we teach teenagers the proper way to be a digital citizen to prevent cyber bullying from occurring. School districts are beginning to create and adopt Acceptable Use Policies to promote the proper use of technology in the educational setting. This is all a part of promoting a digital citizen.

Provide a short list for guiding your audience in online etiquette

Your Online Image Speaks Volumes

Because we exchange so much information through our websites, email, cell phones, videos and social media, the way we conduct ourselves online is as important as how we appear in person. “The world is shrinking, which means your potential sphere of influence is growing,” French says. “It’s important to create and maintain a very professional tone in your online correspondence, as recipients have the luxury of reading your words over and over again, as well as forwarding them to anyone they please. Whereas an offhand spoken comment may be easily dismissed, anything we say online can be analysed, shared and obsessed over.”

1.       Stay neutral – You can’t go wrong if you remain as unbiased as possible in your inline communication. “When it comes to writing an email, strive for clear, matter-of-fact content,” French says. “Don’t be funny, sarcastic, passive aggressive or make innuendos. It’s probably best to avoid these tactics in oral exchanges in the business world as well.”

2.       Follow grammar and punctuation rules – In any virtual communication; be it emailing, texting, posting on Facebook or blogging; use real words and complete sentences, and skip the emoticons. “With very few exceptions, you should write the way you were taught in school,” French says. “Avoid all but the most common of internet abbreviations, and certainly skip the ones that are flippant or possibly inflammatory. And never curse.”

3.       Know how to use online communication tools – “There are protocols for the use of online community groups and messaging systems, such as Twitter and texting,” Smith says.

4.       Consider your virtual recipients – “As Ann Chandler, founder of The Chandler School of Etiquette, likes to ask, “What is it like to be on the other side of me?” Smith says. “Remember that there is a real person on the other end of whatever you put out there. With this in mind, it’s important to show character and to be civil, and to always ask yourself if what you’re saying is true.”

5.       Take care choosing your professional user name – Put some thought into identifiers for yourself that others will see. Your best choice is to use your business name as your user name wherever possible and to never be cutesy. And if you own a business, French advises having an email address with your own domain name.

6.       Pick up the phone when necessary – When a conversation is getting long or involved, for clarity’s sake, move it to the phone, French advises. “Endless email strings or text messages are frustrating and eventually create too much opportunity for confusion.”

Examples of creative common images

(Davis, 2013)

References

Davis, J. B., 2013. 2017 American Express Company. [Online]
Available at: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/online-etiquette-6-rules-for-making-a-great-virtual-impression/
[Accessed 29 October 2017].

(Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) 2012, 2012)            

References

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) 2012, 2012. Digital Citizenship. [Online]
Available at: https://www.athdigitalcitizen.weebly.com/digital-etiquette.html
[Accessed 29 October 2017].