Ms. Parry’s Guide to Correct Online Etiquette (Netiquette)

A Checklist for Cybercommunications

Before sending that e-mail or posting on that Web site or bulletin board, think before you click “send.” Re-read what you were going to send. If it meets any of these factors, don’t send it until you fix them. And if you can’t fix them, maybe you shouldn’t send it at all.

It’s so easy for anyone to misunderstand e-mails and cybercommunications. We have to be very very careful to make them clear and help others to understand what we really mean. We also need to be careful not to hurt others and be good netizens.

• Start by making sure you are sending things to the right place, that it arrives and that the right person gets it.
• Is it worth sending? Don’t waste peoples’ time or bandwidth with junk, chain e-mails and false rumors.
• Proofread and spell-check your e-mails and make sure they know who you are.
• Don’t attack others online, say anything that could be considered insulting or that is controversial.
• Don’t forward other people’s e-mails without their permission or share their personal information.
• Are you angry when you are writing this message?
• Don’t reply to spam, even to ask to be removed from their mailing list.
• How private is the message you are sending? Are you willing to have others read this message or forward it to others without your permission?