Minding Your Manners Online

Although there is no set of written rules governing behavior on the Internet, the wise user participates in an honor system. On the Internet, appropriate behavior is called netiquette, a combination of Internet etiquette. Netiquette is crucial for keeping the Internet a civil place because the Internet is not policed or run by a single person or group. The basic rules of netiquette are as follows:

Behave As Though You Are Communicating in Person. When communicating with someone online, act as if you are talking to that person face to face.

Remember That Your Words Are Open to Interpretation. If you post jokes, sarcasm, or other attempts at humor, do not be surprised if someone is offended. Word your postings clearly and carefully, and use appropriate language.

Do Not "Shout" Online. Typing in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS is like shouting and is considered rude.

Do Not "Flame" Other Users. In 'Net-speak, a flame is a posting that contains insults or other derogatory content. Flamers can be shut out of listservs and chat rooms, and other users can block a flamer's messages from the e-mail and news accounts.

Do Not Send Spam. Spam is the online equivalent of junk mail--uninvited messages, usually of a commercial nature. Most ISPs have strict spam policies. If you are caught distributing uninvited messages to multiple recipients (especially if the messages contain commercial, libelous, or vulgar content), your ISP may cancel your account.

Do Not Distribute Copyrighted Material. Usenet newsgroups and many private Web pages are filled with copyrighted and trademarked text and graphics, posted without the owner's permission. Do not be fooled into thinking that text or images are "in the public domain" because you found them on the Internet. Copyrights still apply; copyright infringement is illegal and can lead to prosecution.

Do Not Be a Coward. As a general rule, you should never conceal your identity on the Internet. If you choose to use a screen name, do not hide behind it to misbehave.

Always check the rules when you go online. Nearly all ISPs post an appropriate use policy on their Web site that lists guidelines for acceptable behavior on the Internet. This document may be a simple disclaimer or may take the form of an FAQ. If you violate these guidelines and are reported to the ISP, your account may be dropped. Look for an FAQ before using chat rooms, listservs, message boards, newsgroups, and other Internet services, especially moderated ones.

Even though you cannot be seen on the Internet, you can still be identified. Conscientious users of e-mail and newsgroups commonly forward flames or inappropriate postings to the poster's ISP. If an ISP collects enough complaints about an account holder, it can cancel that person's account. In cases where libel, copyright infringement, or other potential crimes are involved, the ISP may also turn the poster over to the authorities. In one such case (in December 1999), a Florida teenager posted a threatening chat-room message to a Colorado student. Even though the poster had used an alias to hide his identity, federal agents were able to track him down and arrest him.