Lesson 4
Lesson 4
Lesson 4
Question for the students: Who among you here are responsible netizen?
In order for us to become a responsible netizen we need to know what are the rules of common
courtesy online. What is DO’s and DON’T’s, what are the set of rules for behaving properly online.
So this morning we will discuss the Netiquette and the computer ethics.
What is Netiquette?
Netiquette is the colloquial acronym for the term “network Etiquette”, to define the word etiquette we
all know that this is refers to the ethical behaviours of human beings that are morally accepted by society.
So the word Netiquette is a set of social conventions that facilitate interaction through networks or in simple
terms it is the set of rules for behaving properly online.
When you use e-mail, instant messenger, video calls, or discussion boards to communicate with others
online, make sure to follow the rules of professional online communications known as netiquette. These
rules will help you communicate with instructors, classmates, and potential employers more effectively
and will help prevent misunderstandings.
Consider the following "rules," adapted from Virginia Shea's the Core Rules of Netiquette, whenever
you communicate in the virtual world.
Communicating effectively in college and business environments requires the use of correct
terminology, spelling, and grammar that can easily be understood.
Exercise good judgement meaning think first before posting everything online.
– E-mail and chat messages that you send or receive are considered private and should not be
forwarded or copied to others without gaining the consent of all involved participants. In
general, messages posted to discussion boards and social media sites can be read by the public.
You may never know who might read or share what you post. It is a good practice to always ask
a post’s author for permission before sharing a post with other parties.
• To protect your privacy and safety, do not share online any sensitive personal information
such as:
- Your home address or phone number
- Personal conversations - Social plans, such as vacations
- Financial information
- Usernames, passwords, or hints
- Anything personal that you would not want shared by others over the Internet
• If the material you share with others online came from another source, make every effort to
gain permission from the original author or copyright holder. Copying someone else's work and
passing it off as your own is plagiarism. It damages your reputation and could subject you to
serious academic and legal consequences.
Rule 1: Remember the human on the other side of the electronic communication
whether through email, instant message, discussion post, text, or some other method, practice
the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Remember, your
written words are read by real people, all deserving of respectful communication. Before you
press "send" or "submit," ask yourself, "Would I be okay with this if someone else had written
it?
Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life
While it can be argued that standards of behavior may be different in the virtual world, they
certainly should not be lower. You should do your best to act within the laws and ethical
manners of society whenever you inhabit "cyberspace." Would you behave rudely to someone
face-toface? On most occasions, no. Neither should you behave this way in the virtual world.