Give some people a computer and an Internet connection and
they think it's a license for rudeness. What is it about the
Internet that causes some folks to take all they learned about
basic etiquette and throw it right out the window?
Think about it: Just because your reader can't see you
doesn't give you the right to be rude, but there are millions
of Net users who feel that it does. I've been called names I'd
rather not repeat in polite company and have been replied to
in ALL CAPS. I'm not deaf.... THERE'S REALLY NO NEED TO YELL.
I attribute this newfound sense of rudeness to the feeling of
invisibility one gets while sitting behind the keyboard. I
mean, would you really come up to me face to face and call me
a "Jackass" when you can't read simple directions on how to
unsubscribe yourself from my ezine? I think not.
In this new digital age it appears we've taken everyday common
courtesy and thrown it right out the window. Whatever
happened to "please" and "thank you?" My mother, who taught me
as a child to call all adults 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.' would have
cardiac arrest over the emails I receive on a daily basis.
Remember the "Golden Rule?" "Do unto others as you would want
them to do unto you." Translation: before you call someone
names, swear at them, report them to Spam Cop or do any other
annoying gesture, stop and think. Maybe you did subscribe to
that ezine and just don't remember. Try giving someone the
benefit of the doubt before firing off an ugly email message
that a real live breathing human being with feelings is going
to read. Computers may not have feelings, but people do and
there's a person behind every email address and/ or website.
Here are the 'Top 10 Do's and Don'ts' for online
communication:
1) Don't reply to someone in all caps; it's equivalent to
screaming at them.
2) If you receive a newsletter and can't figure out how to
unsubscribe, before threatening to sue or reporting the
publisher for Spam, politely ask the publisher to be removed.
Any ezine publisher worth his salt will be happy to oblige.
We really don't want to hold you captive.
3) Try to reply to all of your email messages within 48 hours.
If not, many people get annoyed and will think you're avoiding
them.
4) If you publish an ezine make sure you place subscribe and
unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of every issue.
5) Don't use foul language in an email; that will get you
nowhere. If you're upset about something, please state the
problem clearly along with how you'd like to see the issue
resolved.
6) If you visit a website and it's not to your liking, don't
fire off a nasty email stating what a loser the site owner
must be. Remember what your Mom use to say "If you don't have
something nice to say, don't say anything at all."
7) Make sure every page of your website contains an email
address to contact you. Please don't make me fill out a
long form just to ask you a simple question.
8) When replying to an email, keep the original message intact
so the person you're replying to knows what you're talking
about. Personally I receive over 300 messages a day, so I need
to see your message in context -- otherwise, I may not
understand it.
9) If you buy or sell products/services online, make sure
you're using an online payment service like PayPal.com in
order to move money around quickly. Don't make snail mail
your only payment option.
10) Pay your bills in a timely fashion. If you owe someone
money online don't make them send out 10 emails telling you
your payment is overdue. Pay promptly.
So there you have it; my Top 10 rules for being more polite
and less rude online. If you incorporate these tips into your
daily Internet dealings you'll find the Net a little warmer
and a friendlier place to be.
There's enough road rage in the world, so when traveling the
information highway please remember that we're all human. Your
computer is just a tool used to communicate with others.
Please be KIND to them!
