Your social media use requires ‘netiquette’

By Deborah O’Connor
February 25, 2013

It’s hard to imagine our lives today without email, texting, Twitter,Facebook and LinkedIn. Social media has forever changed the way wecommunicate with each other and there is no going back. But when did itbecome imperative that everyone is expected to be available 24/7? Whendid rudeness become a way of life? The fact that you are notface-to-face changes everything. People lose the human touch and say and do things they would never dream of doing in person. It has made usbolder, braver, and infinitely more stupid. Here are a few general’netiquette’ guidelines to help us navigate cyber space.

No matter how you’re communicating online, cyber space is not the place to say things that you should say face-to-face, such as firing someoneor sincerely apologizing. There’s a big difference between an apologythat involves looking in someone’s eyes and seeing that they are hurtand typing I’m sorry and hitting send.

No one wants to pick up the phone anymore or write a handwritten note.It’s so easy to email or tweet messages but remember this: When youstart to lose the personal touch, you start to lose business.

Using common sense goes a long way toward solving these netiquetteissues. Here’s a quick rundown of different technologies and some tipson how to manage them with professional decorum.

Twitter

•    Maintain a professional and business-like persona and don’t intentionally say anything derogatory about anyone else.
•    Twitter is interactive social media and not all about you. You are there to interact with other people.
•    Don’t fight on Twitter and don’t over tweet.
•    Some subjects are simply inappropriate. If you wouldn’t say it out loud at a dinner party, you really shouldn’t say it on Twitter.

Facebook

•    Let’s face it, there’s no shortage of ways to irritate and offendfriends on Facebook. Posting unflattering photos or photos that showsomeone in an embarrassing situation should be avoided. In fact, youshould ask permission before posting photos of anyone.
•    Remember that not everyone wants to know what you had for dinner,let alone a photo of it or that you are walking down the street.
•    You are under no obligation to acknowledge a Facebook friend request.

Texting

•    Composing or reading a text in front of someone while you arehaving a face-to-face conversation is rude and offensive behavior. Youare saying You’re not half as interesting as this text
•    Don’t assume everyone wants to text.
•    Texting is casual and shouldn’t be used for formal invitations.
•    Be conscientious of other people’s schedules. Not everyone is waiting for your texts.
•    Not everyone has a paid text plan and it can get expensive.
•    Leave the slang to the kids. Don’t expect to win points at workwith street lingo and trust me when I say your kids won’t appreciateyour trying to be cool.

Email

Email is an amazing thing. It brings people together instantly who mayotherwise never have met. But unlike face-to-face meetings, you havecyberspace between you and that tends to dehumanize things. Because ofthis, some people incorrectly assume that a lower standard of personalbehavior is acceptable. It makes it easier for us to be rude,insensitive, and less human. You can’t see the recipient of your emailreact. You can’t see the look on their face or the misery in their eyes. A good rule is to ask yourself if you would say this in person. If not, you shouldn’t be emailing it.

•    Remember, you are not the center of cyberspace.
•    Be very careful with forwarding and ‘reply all’. Think before sending.

Most importantly, remember that everything you say and every photo yousend in cyberspace is out there forever. Before you communicate, don’tforget that every email, tweet, Facebook post, text and photo that yousend can end up in a court of law.

Deborah O’Connor

Deborah O’Connor is a social strategist and founder andpresident of Successful Image LLC with offices in Columbia and Atlanta.She offers training and seminars on image management, workplaceetiquette, and social skills necessary to succeed in life professionally and personally. Contact at: [email protected].     www.successfulimage.biz