Net etiquette part 01

Net etiquette, or "Netiquette" is the term used to describe acceptable behaviour on the Internet, be it in regards to email, news, mailing lists or whatever. It also includes the types of symbols and information used to convey emotion and body language, which is obviously lacking in a text-only communication medium.

Even handwriting can say a lot about a person, but with typed messages, it's much harder to get a sense of how an individual feels as a person (except, of course, whether or not they can touch type and spell!).

General behaviour

Email can be just like a normal conversation - chatty and social talk with friends and family, professional discussion, question-and-answer and sometimes will include conversations with a stranger. Think of how you would normally conduct a conversation or write a letter; those same rules apply here, but sometimes extra care must be taken to express your thoughts and intentions clearly.

Without the benefits of body language and social signals that come from having a face-to-face conversation it can be easy to just type a string of insults and invective directed against someone, which is not the sort of thing that most of us would do in a normal conversation. Having this sort of freedom on-line can be liberating, but it can also have its consequences. Defamation, slander, verbal assault and harassment are all things which can be transmitted through email. Use your judgement.