Grade 8 Social Media Campaign

Netiquette

Definition: A set of rules for behaving online.

Some general guidelines for online interactions:

1. Remember the human

  • With online conversations it's easy to misinterpret the meaning
  • A good rule to use is: "Would I say that to the person's face?"
  • Anything you upload - words or pictures- are stored somewhere and you have no control over where they go

2. Adhere to the same standards of behaviour online that you would follow in real life

  • Be ethical, remember your values and morals
  • Don't be tempted to do something illegal such as the viewing of pornography or sexting
  • Sexting is when you send an explicit or sexually suggestive picture or text to someone else using a cell phone or computer. This can lead to charges relating to the possession of child pornography

3. Respect other people's time

  • When you send an e-mail or post something online, it's your responsibility to ensure that they time they spend reading it is not wasted
  • You are not the centre of cyberspace so don't expect instant responses from others

4. Make yourself look good online

  • Have reasonable profile pictures
  • Watch your spelling and grammar
  • Don't use offensive language (swearing)
  • Don't be confrontational
  • Ask yourself: what perception would I like people to have of me after reading my comment/ update/ chat?

5. Respect other people's privacy

  • Don't post any personal information about friends or family online - rather contact them directly
  • Don't post pictures of your friends or family without their permission

6. Cyberbullying

  • This is when a student torments, threatens, harasses, humiliates, embarrasses or targets another student on the internet, through interactive and digital technology, or by using cell phones
  • Report any incidence of cyberbullying immediately
  • It can have serious psychological consequences as someone can be tormented over and over again

7. Other general guidelines

  • Think before you post something
  • Do not send messages or update your status while you are angry
  • Avoid using capital letters - it seems as if you are shouting
  • Use emoticons to show expression. They will help others to interpret the meaning of your posts or messages
  • Take time to proof read, spell-check and send the right impression of yourself
  • Don't friend or accept invites from someone you don't know
  • Offer your contacts or friends the same respect online as you would in real life

8. Bibliography

The core rules of Netiquette by Virginia Shea.

A netiquette resource for teens by Stefanie Welty.