What is Social Media Netiquette?

netiquette is a code aimed to maintain manners on the Internet. The netiquette definition covers
all facets of the online world, including email, messengers, social media, multiplayer gaming,
and other types of online communication. Netiquette’ is network etiquette, the do’s and don’ts of
online communication. Netiquette covers both common courtesy online and the informal ‘rules
of the road’ of cyberspace.”

Netiquette is a set of rules that encourages appropriate online behavior related to the social and
cultural norms of a community (Preece, 2004). These rules can vary depending upon the
environment/context (informal/formal), people (familiar/unfamiliar with each other), activity, and
type of technology used (Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology, UBC, n.d.; Preece,
Noncompliance of netiquette rule use can be interpreted as a sign of disrespect.

What is the importance of social media netiquette?

Netiquette (Online Etiquette) is a set of rules that encourages appropriate and courteous online
behavior. These rules are important as they promote communication skills, prevent
miscommunications, and help you understand what is socially acceptable when working and
collaborating online.

10 RULES

 Remember the human on the other side of the electronic communication.

 Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.
 Know where you are in cyberspace.
 Respect other people’s time and bandwidth.
 Make yourself look good online.
 Share expert knowledge.
 Keep flame wars under control.
 Respect other people’s privacy.
 Don’t abuse your power.
 Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes.

Her rules speak for themselves and remind us that the golden rule (treat others as you would
like to be treated) is relevant wherever there is human interaction.

Why do we Need Netiquette Rules?

The rules of etiquette that apply when communicating online are different from those that apply
when communicating in person. It cannot be assumed that students automatically know how to
communicate in an online environment. Netiquette rules have emerged to facilitate online
interactions in the absence of visual and auditory cues, which can often be sources of
misunderstandings, as readers can easily misinterpret messages. Knowledge of network
etiquette discourages inappropriate online conduct and conflict (Mintu-Wimsatt, Kernek, &
Lozada, 2010). Class interactions using netiquette encourage social interactions, community
building, and trust between participants. It promotes a safe, engaging, respectful, and
collaborative group where diversity of opinion is valued.

GOOD NETIQUETTE
 Include context – When commenting on a message or conversation thread it is good
netiquette to include a relevant quote from the original message to give context to your
comment.
 Check, then click – Before you post a comment, double check that you are saying
exactly what you want to say. One small error can completely change the meaning of
your message, so read and read again before sending.
 We are only human – Remember that an actual person with real feelings, beliefs,
imperfections and emotions is behind every message, email or comment. It’s
sometimes easy to get carried away and write something that you would not dream of
saying to someone’s face and can be mistaken for displaying bad
netiquette or cyberbullying behavior.
 Do you get it? – Jokes, dark humor and sarcasm are often difficult to convey over the
internet. So to avoid potential misunderstandings, always indicate the humorous
nature of your comment. You could do this by using emoticons, putting “lol” (laugh out
loud) at the end of the message or by starting with a phrase like, “On a lighter note…”
 Newbies – We were all once new to social media, gaming online, emails, messaging
and forums – so always try and help someone new who is making mistakes. (If you
are new, check out our ‘What is netiquette?‘ section for more information).
 Don’t spam! – It is normal to want to be noticed in the crowd of people on social
media – but spamming (another word for sending the same or similar messages lots
of times) can be annoying and may have the opposite effect!
 Be yourself – If you want to get the most out of communicating online, be yourself.
Making up false profiles and alter egos will only discourage people from talking openly
with you and taking you seriously. Remember that most trolls and cyberbullies use
false profiles, so be careful not to be mistaken for one.
 Express yourself – Don’t be afraid to express yourself openly and honestly. Netiquette
is not about restricting expression but about making it easier for people to understand.
 Allow others to express themselves too – Remember that everybody has an opinion,
so allow them to express it. You may have to agree to disagree on many issues, but
just make your point and move on. Don’t let a simple difference of opinion escalate
into an argument.
 Don’t SHOUT – Avoid writing whole words or sentences in capital letters. This is the
equivalent of someone SCREAMING IN YOUR EAR!
 Respect people’s privacy – Don’t pass on another person’s private information or
photos unless you have their permission. Not only is this bad netiquette but you may
also be accused of cyberbullying, doxing or online harassment.
 Avoid conflict – Trading insults and abuse is bad netiquette. It is pointless and negative
and could get you banned from the platform or community. Avoid being drawn into
 fights and never post abusive content on social media – this will result in your
accounts being suspended.

BAD NETIQUETTE
 Not including context – When commenting on a message thread or existing post, it is
considered bad netiquette to not include relevant information from the original post in
order to add context to your comment. This can make it confusing for other users.
 Not proof reading – By not reading what you have wrote before pressing ‘post’ or ‘send’,
you could be saying something you didn’t intend to say! One typo or auto-correct is all
it takes to change the entire sentiment of a message. This can potentially cause
unnecessary distress or offense to the recipient.
 Inappropriate jokes – It is considered bad netiquette to make jokes that would be
deemed as inappropriate by others, especially when replying to a thread of messages
or comments on an existing post. Making jokes that could offend others or placing a
joke on an existing thread that has upsetting or distressing content would be
considered inappropriate.
 Ignoring people who need help – If someone asks you directly for help online, it would be
deemed bad netiquette to ignore their request for help. Even if you can’t assist them
directly with their problem, you could try and find some information or support
groups that are able to help them with their situation.
 Spamming others – It can be difficult to get noticed when using social media and online
forums, especially when it comes to companies managing their customer services
through social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. The temptation to send
continuous messages until you gain the attention of the company can be
overwhelming – but it is deemed bad netiquette to send a chain of continuous
messages to any company or individual online. This behavior can actually have
consequences such as being banned from social media platforms or banned from
messaging people within the platform you are using.
 Catfishing – It is considered bad netiquette to pretend to be someone else by using
photos of another person or lying about your identity to others. Catfishing can cause
serious psychological harm to the victim and can potentially destroy any relationships
or friendships that have been made.
 Not allowing others to express themselves – Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and
not allowing someone their right to an opinion is bad netiquette. Even if you disagree
with their thoughts and opinions, it is important to let them express themselves.
 Using capital letters all the time – When we want to express emphasis on something, it
can prove especially difficult online and occasionally we use capital letters to get our
point across. Although it can be effective, if you always use capitals it can make
people believe you’re annoyed or shouting at them.
 Not respecting people’s privacy – It is deemed bad netiquette to share any information
about someone else online without permission to do so. Even if they share that
information themselves, you should always check. Not only is it considered as bad
netiquette but it could also be considered doxing.
 Arguing with people – When commenting on threads of messages, it can be easy to let
your thoughts and opinions get the better of you where you end up arguing with
someone over contrasting views. Different opinions are fine – that is what makes the
internet so great, but it is considered bad netiquette to insult other people because of
their opinion. This behavior can result in you being banned from the social
media platform all together.