netizenship and netiquette

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
•NETIZENSHIP
•DIFFERENT NETIQUETTE IN SOCIAL COMMUNITIES

3. INTRODUCTION
IN THIS LESSON, WE WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NETIZENSHIP AND NETIQUETTE.
WE WILL ALSO DISCUSS THE THE DIFFERENT
NETIQUETTE IN ONLINE COMMUNITIES.

4. NETIZEN
A netizen is a person who uses the internet, especially
as a forum, for the expression of views and participation
in political society. The term is a portmanteau of the
English words "internet" and "citizen.“

5. HISTORY OF THE WORD NETIZEN
THE TERM NETIZEN WAS FIRST USED IN THE EARLY 1990S BY MICHAEL
HAUBEN AND RONDA HAUBEN, A HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM WHO WERE
STUDYING THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE INTERNET. THE
HAUBENS BELIEVED THAT THE INTERNET HAD THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE A
NEW KIND OF CITIZEN, ONE WHO WAS MORE INFORMED AND ENGAGED IN
POLITICAL SOCIETY.

6. THE ROLE OF NETIZENS
• STAY INFORMED ABOUT CURRENT EVENTS. THE
INTERNET IS A VAST RESOURCE FOR NEWS AND
INFORMATION. NETIZENS CAN USE THE INTERNET TO
STAY INFORMED ABOUT CURRENT EVENTS, BOTH IN
THEIR OWN COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD.
• PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS. THE
INTERNET PROVIDES A FORUM FOR PEOPLE TO
DISCUSS POLITICAL ISSUES. NETIZENS CAN USE THE
INTERNET TO SHARE THEIR VIEWS ON A VARIETY OF
TOPICS, AND TO ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE WITH OTHERS.

7. • Organize political campaigns. The internet can be used to
organize political campaigns. Netizens can use the internet to
raise money, recruit volunteers and spread the word about their
cause.
• Vote in elections. In some countries, netizens can use
the internet to vote in elections. This can make it easier for
people to vote, especially those who live in remote areas or
who have disabilities.

8. NETIQUETTTE
“HAVING GOOD NETIQUETTE INVOLVES BEING
MINDFUL OF YOUR BEHAVIOR, AVOIDING
OFFENSIVE OR DEROGATORY LANGUAGE,
AND TREATING OTHERS AS YOU WOULD IN
FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS.”
-AVIGAIL LEV, PSYD, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF THE BAY AREA CBT CENTER-
NETIQUETTE IS A PORTMANTEAU
OF NET AND ETIQUETTE, AND REFERS TO
THE SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE RULES OF
ONLINE CONDUCT. THE DEFINITION OF
NETIQUETTE INCLUDES SELF-
PRESENTATION STANDARDS, BEHAVIOR
NORMS, AND ACCEPTED FORMS OF
EXPRESSION. PROPER NETIQUETTE
HELPS YOU AVOID OFFENDING FRIENDS,
EMPLOYERS, AND OTHER PEOPLE IN
YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK.

9. NETIQUETTE RULES
1. REPRESENT YOURSELF WELL
SELF-PRESENTATION IS CRUCIAL ONLINE, BECAUSE
OF THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES. YOUR WORD AND
PUNCTUATION CHOICES MATTER, SO MAKE EVERY
STROKE COUNT. TO MAKE FRIENDS OR DEVELOP
NETWORKS, BE FRIENDLY, POLITE, AND ENGAGING
JUST AS YOU WOULD BE IN REAL LIFE.
2. USE RESPECTFUL LANGUAGE
ALL CAPS = YELLING. GENERALLY AVOID IT. USING ALL
LOWERCASE IS FINE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
OR FORUMS AS LONG AS YOU’RE CONSISTENT. JUST
DON’T GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN ALL
LOWERCASE AND PROPER CAPITALIZATION. IN
PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS, USE PROPER
CAPITALIZATION (AND PROPER GRAMMAR MORE
GENERALLY).

10. 3. BE CAREFUL WITH SARCASM 4. CHECK YOUR GRAMMAR
• FRIENDS MIGHT NOT CARE ABOUT PROPER
GRAMMAR, BUT EMPLOYERS AND COLLEAGUES DO.
AVOID HEAVY SLANG, UNUSUAL ACRONYMS,
ABBREVIATIONS, ALTERNATE SPELLINGS, AND
OTHER INTERNET SHORTHAND WHEN
COMMUNICATING IN A PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY.
THOUGH IT MAY SEEM MORE NATURAL TO
COMMUNICATE THIS WAY ONLINE, IT CAN COME
ACROSS AS IMPATIENT AND IMMATURE IN
PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS.
Sarcasm relies on tone of voice, body language,
facial expression, and gesture are all omitted
when communicating online. A well-intended
joke can be perceived as confusing or downright
insulting without clarity. To make your sarcasm
clearer, use “irony punctuation” or emojis that
contradict the statement, italics to emphasize
tone, “jk” for “just kidding,” or even an
explicit “/s” at the end of your comment.

11. 5. RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE’S
PRIVACY
SPREADING SOMEONE’S EMAIL AROUND CAN ALSO CAUSE THEM TO
GET SPAM, WHICH NO ONE LIKES. ASK SOMEONE BEFORE TAGGING THEM
IN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS. NO ONE WANTS AN UNFLATTERING
PHOTO SPREAD AMONG PEOPLE THEY DON’T KNOW, AND SOME PEOPLE
MIGHT BE SOCIAL-MEDIA SHY IN GENERAL. POSTING WITHOUT
CONSENT CAN BE A HUGE BREACH OF SOMEONE’S PRIVACY AND
SECURITY.

12. 6. IF YOU WOULDN'T SAY IT DIRECTLY, DON'T SAY IT ONLINE
WHETHER YOU’RE COMMUNICATING WITH STRANGERS OR FRIENDS, DON’T LET YOUR EMOTIONS DO THE TALKING
ONLINE. INTERACTING BEHIND A SCREEN CAN MAKE YOU FEEL INVINCIBLE, AND CAN REMOVE YOUR SOCIAL FILTER IN
THE WORST POSSIBLE WAY. IT’S EASY TO BE BLUNT, RUDE, OR AGGRESSIVE WHEN YOUR WORDS APPEAR AS SQUIGGLES
ON A SCREEN. BUT THOSE SQUIGGLES CAUSE REAL PAIN, AND CAN EASILY TURN YOU INTO A TROLL, OR WORSE, A
CYBERBULLY.

13. 7. FOLLOW THE RULES
JUST LIKE REAL-LIFE HANGOUTS, EVERY INTERNET SUBCULTURE HAS THEIR OWN CORE RULES AND DEFINITIONS OF
NETIQUETTE. IF THE RULES ARE IMPLICIT, ASK AROUND OR “LURK” (READ WITHOUT POSTING) FOR A WHILE TO GET THE
FEEL FOR THE PROPER NETIQUETTE POLICY. IF THE RULES ARE EXPLICIT, THEY’LL BE POSTED SOMEWHERE CLEARLY. RULES
MIGHT INCLUDE ACCEPTABLE TOPICS TO DISCUSS, FORMATTING PROCEDURES, LINK POLICIES, OR JUST A GENERAL
CODE OF BEHAVIOR.

14. 8. FACT CHECK
• IT’S EMBARRASSING TO GET FACTS WRONG, AND IT CAN CAUSE OTHERS TOSTOP TRUSTING YOU OR
STOP COMMUNICATING WITH YOU COMPLETELY. GETTING ACCURATE INFORMATION IS A HARD-WIRED
HUMAN PREFERENCE, AND BEING MISINFORMED CAN REALLY HIT A NERVE.RESEARCH THOROUGHLY
BEFORE MAKING FACTUAL CLAIMS ONLINE. SOME QUICK GOOGLING AND LINKING TO SOURCE WEBSITES
BUILDS TRUST WITH OTHERS.

15. 9. RESPECT PEOPLE'S TIME AND BOUNDARIES
• IT MIGHT FEEL GOOD TO BLURT OUT A WALL OF TEXT OR CALL SOMEONE OUT FOR A PERCEIVED WRONG,
BUT IT’S OFTEN THE EQUIVALENT OF STOPPING SOMEONE ON THE STREETAND LECTURING THEM ON THE
SPOT. NOT ONLY IS IT AWKWARD, BUT IT MAKES THE RECIPIENT FEEL PRESSURED AND FRUSTRATED.
ONLINE COMMUNICATION IS USUALLY NOT A GOOD PLACE TO DISCUSS SERIOUS FEELINGS — TAKING AN
EMOTIONAL SHORTCUT CAN MAKE A REAL RELATIONSHIP CRASH AND BURN.

16. 10. RESPOND AS PROMPTLY AS YOU
CAN
IT’S ANNOYING WHEN SOMEONE EXPECTS YOU TO RESPOND TO A TEXT
OR EMAIL IMMEDIATELY, BUT IT’S JUST AS ANNOYING WHEN YOU WRITE
TO SOMEONE AND THEY TAKE FOREVER TO RESPOND, OR DON’T REPLY AT
ALL. IF YOU HAVE EXCHANGED EMAILS WITH SOMEONE, THE
EXPECTATION IS THAT EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE IS OK, SO NOT
RESPONDING CAN BE HURTFUL OR RUDE.

17. 11. KEEP YOUR INFORMATION UP TO
DATE
UPDATE YOUR PROFILE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE NOT IN
CONTACT WITH LOTS OF OLD FRIENDS OR ACQUIANTANCES. A SIMPLE
UPDATE IS A NICE WAY TO SHOW YOU CARE ABOUT THOSE YOU MAY
HAVE LOST TOUCH WITH. IT CAN OPEN THE DOOR TO CATCHING UP
WITH OLD FRIENDS, OR BE A GOOD REASON FOR SOMEONE TO SEND YOU
A FRIENDLY MESSAGE OR NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY.

18. 12. SEND FILES PROPERLY
DON’T SEND OR ATTACH LARGE FILES DIRECTLY, SINCE YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT KIND OF STORAGE SPACE OR INTERNET CONNECTION OTHER
PEOPLE HAVE. USE A CLOUD SERVICE OR A PERSONAL SITE, ESPECIALLY
IF YOU WANT TO SHARE LOTS OF FILES. IF YOU HAVE TO SEND SENSITIVE
FILES, USE SOME OF THE BEST ENCRYPTION SOFTWARE TO KEEP THEM
SAFE. AND PROTECT FILES WITH A PASSWORD TO SHOW THE RECIPIENT
YOU CARE ABOUT THEIR DIGITAL SAFETY.

19. 13. BE FORGIVING
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT NETIQUETTE RULES IS TO FORGIVE
OTHERS’ MISTAKES. INTERNET TECHNOLOGY NETIQUETTE NORMS CAN
BE CONFUSING — WE ALL LEARN WEB ETIQUETTE AS WE GO ALONG.
WHAT WE SAY ONLINE FEELS PERMANENT, WHICH MAKES US ALL
UNEASY. NO ONE WANTS A RUSHED, MISINTERPRETED STATEMENT
HANGING OVER THEIR HEADS FOREVER, SO HAVE COMPASSION FOR
OTHERS IF YOU WANT IT EXTENDED TO YOURSELF.

20. REFERENCES
• HTTPS://WWW.TECHTARGET.COM/WHATIS/DEFINITION/NETIZEN
• HTTPS://WWW.SCRIBD.COM/DOCUMENT/575583634/NETIZENSHIP-NETIQUETTE-IN-ONLINE-
COMMUNITIES
• HTTPS://WWW.AVAST.COM/C-NETIQUETTE