Internet culture

Good behavior on-line

In the last decade Internet became the most expanded way of communicating and human interaction. Thus, it created specific kind of culture - online culture, but many people are yet not fully acquainted with it


By LJILJANA SAMARDŽIĆ
from Sombor, SERBIA


Why choosing Internet? Internet is a mixture of traditional ways of communication: radio, television and press. People used to depend on those three sources of information, but not any more. Internet unified existing source of information, but besides that, every single person on this planet, with Internet access, became possible source of news.

But not only information is being exchanged online. Great deal of marketing depends on ones presence on the web as well. Internet is like a big market where, literally, anything goes. Still, there are certain, non-written rules people should follow.

Words exchange

There are many ways how to communicate with other people while being online. The main question is - what is the aim, purpose and desired effect of that communication. In professional purposes the best option is sending an e-mail. Emails are mostly like traditional letters - you ought to obey certain traditional rules - only it takes few seconds to arrive at desired address instead of days. The same time takes for sending respond, or, in online vocabulary, reply.

Vastly popular are different social networks. Social networks are useful because you can easily interact with lot of people, you can see their profiles, information about them, but you can also chat with them at the same time. Another thing - there is hardly any person that has no any online profile and you can search even the recognized people from public and other domains.

Discussion boards are commonly used by people who want to have their say on certain or few subjects. It has its advantages and disadvantages - you have all the time in the world to reply, but the eye-to-eye communication is lost and you can never be sure if reply is copy-pasted from the web or other source of information.

Chatting is mostly used for non formal communication between people logged in on the Internet. You can chat on social networks, such as Facebook, on different chat rooms via web, and usually via variety of chat programs such as Windows live messenger, ICQ, Skype, AOL etc.

Well breaded conversationalist

Online chat usually refers to any kind of communication that tends to be one-on-one, but there are possibilities of including more people into one discussion. Since communication itself is indivisible part of sociology, online chat underlies to certain rules. As in reality, in virtual world good and bad communication also exists.

Rule No. 1, that many are breaking, is the non respect of grammar and punctuation. One can never forget that while chatting (talking) online recipient CANNOT see your facial and other expressions, neither can hear intonation of your voice (thoughts). Omitting punctuation or even slight letter can lead to misunderstanding.

Rule No. 2 - do not use caps lock, unless you intend to yell at person you're talking with. The other use might be emphasizing a certain point.

Rule No. 3 - It is just the same in reality. Do not interrupt a person while typing. There might be another point of the one you see at the moment. Context is very important in any kind of communication and interrupting someone only means that you are rude. If so, there's no point continuing further discussion.

Rule No. 4 - Remember that arguing via Internet doesn't lead anywhere. If you're chatting with someone you know and have the opportunity to meet - wait. If you don't know the person, ask yourself what is the point there.

Rule No. 5 - If person doesn't respond you right away, don't assume that he/she left. The wrong assumption is that everything always works correctly. Maybe computer had to be restarted, maybe connection failed etc.

Rule No. 6 - It is very rude to leave person on the other side waiting without saying a thing, especially if you do not intent to come back soon. It only means that you do not respect other person, his/her time and words.

Rule No. 7 - When saying goodbye or any other farewell, always wait for other person to reply that message.

Rule No. 8 - Pay attention if communicating with more than one person! You might mixed up chat windows and say something wrong.

Rule No. 9 - Always remember that chatting with someone online is very much alike talking with someone in real life. Respecting online conversation means that you probably are able to follow and respect your interlocutor in reality and that communicating with you will be amiable and pleasant.

As it was mentioned above, Internet along with online communication has all conditions to be named as "Internet culture", a kind of subculture. It made possible new ways of socialization and interaction, and, as any culture, conventions have to exist. In this case, present conventions among people are only adjusted to new conditions. By breaking main rules of good behavior, culture slowly grows out in anarchy.


(Published: 12.09.2009.)