“Netiquette” means good manners on the internet.
In the real world, saying "please", "thank you", "yes ma'am", and "no ma'am" is a sign of a well-mannered individual. Gentlemen open the door for ladies. Younger people give up their seats to an older person who is having to stand. People do these things because it is the right thing to do; the respectable thing to do. The world is a great big, wonderful place, and good manners can open lots of doors!
There is also a respectable way to behave on the internet and on social media. Some are easy to do; they are an extension of our everyday lives. We don't even think about them. There are some "rules", however, that are not so obvious. They must be taught. It is important that people know how to behave online to protect themselves, their personal information, and their reputation. The internet is also a great big, wonderful place - if we know how to act when we get there!
"NETIQUETTE"
- Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you. (Golden Rule). There are real people out there!
- Respect other people’s privacy. Be ethical – being online doesn’t make wrong right.
- Make yourself look good online…Know what you're talking about and make sense. Check your spelling and punctuation.
- Share expert knowledge…(it) is fun…it makes the world a better place.
- Most importantly: "Think before you post".
Netiquette Rules by Virginia Shea itsallaboutculture.com
Social Networking Policies - Students must:
- Realize their responsibility to only post things that are kind, true, fair, and legal.
- Respect others, their property, and their space.
- Remember that much of what is posted never goes away. Don’t post anything that may embarrass them tomorrow!
- Know that just because something is on the internet doesn’t necessarily make it true.
How can we help enforce these policies?
1. Make sure our kids know that we expect good behavior. Model good “netiquette” in front of them.
2. Teach our kids not to share personal information online.
3. Monitor what our kids are doing online as best we can.
4. Clarify and enforce consequences when rules are broken or trust is broken.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is unwanted, aggressive, and offensive behavior involving an apparent power imbalance that takes place using electronic technology such as cellphones, computers and other devices used for communication.
Examples: hurtful texts or emails, embarrassing pictures posted on social media, rumors
Frequency of Cyberbullying [U S Department of Health and Human Services website stopbullying.gov]
- The 2010-2011 School Crime Supplement (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics) indicates that 9% of students in grades 6–12 experienced cyberbullying.
- The 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey finds that 15% of high school students (grades 9-12) were electronically bullied in the past year.
- Research on cyberbullying is growing. However, because kids’ technology use changes rapidly, it is difficult to design surveys that accurately capture trends.
- Don't post anything that is not nice about someone else.
- Don't send messages to someone else that might be hurtful.
- If you are a victim of cyberbullying, keep a copy of any text, email, etc in which you feel like you are being bullied. Do not delete it. Show it to an adult as soon as possible.
- If you suspect that a friend is a victim of cyberbullying or that they may be participating in "unsafe" online communication, tell an adult you trust. Be pro-active. Don't wish you had done something after it's too late!
- Don't talk to someone online unless you are absolutely positive you know who they are.
- Never give personal information about you or your family to someone online without permission from your parent or teacher.
- Never plan a meeting with anyone you meet online. You don't know that they are who they say they are!
Don't be the bully and don't let someone else bully you!
Additional Websites and Resources:
http://www.learnthenet.com/learn-about/netiquette/ (Learn the Net: Netiquette)
http://www.education.com/reference/article/netiquette-rules-behavior-internet/ (education.com - Netiquette: Rules of Behavior on the Internet)
http://learning.colostate.edu/guides/guide.cfm?guideid=4 (Colorado State: Core Rules of Netiquette)
References:
Cyberbullying Entre Crianças E Adolescentes. Digital image. Tecnologia.culturamix.com, n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
Cyber Bullying PSA - A Film of a 13 Year Old. Liberty Middle School. N.p., 02 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
Deggelman, Kathleen. Social Media for Network Marketing. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
Losing the Plot: Manners. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.