Saturday 18 January 2014

Netiquette

The increasing popularity of quick messaging, emoticons, and Internet slang has led rise to a generation of people who lack the necessary skills to correctly communicate online. The perceived disconnection between people has brought in the need for Internet etiquette, also known as netiquette, when using social media for both personal and corporate use.

Many people forget that the same types of social standards required for face-to-face communication also apply to communication on the Internet. It is easy to post a condemning article and then leave the keyboard with seemingly no consequence. Recent history has proven this false with the rise of cyber bullying and resulting teen suicide. Amanda Todd, a high school student in BC, posted a YouTube video chronicling her bullying preempted her suicide. The old adage, “do unto others as you would have done unto you”, still holds true in the digital age. It is important to remember that real life communication standards still apply that you are ultimately responsible for what you post online. As this is true in personal life, it also applies to public branding of a company or person.

For companies trying to reach a new digital generation it is becoming increasingly important to be aware of their online identity. Every post creates the perceived brand in the public’s mind. It is no longer enough to push a brand through advertising, they must appeal to the personal aspect of the Internet and bring themselves to an interactive level with the public.  Through videos, and multiple social platforms they need to create sincere efforts to reach their audience. This can be tricky and there have been many high profile failures.


The consequences of online activity can either be detrimental or positive. It is the responsibility of an individual or corporation to be responsible with their internet activity and use the proper netiquette to aid that.

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