Remember, remember, before the Eternal September
IDEA No 29
NETIQUETTE
In a world without facial expressions and body language, it is easy to offend people without meaning to, and to take offence when it is not intended. To avoid this, a code of behaviour has been established that guides the way that we communicate online.
How we politely use new technology is not a new conundrum. When the telephone was invented, people were often silent when they picked up the receiver, waiting for the caller to introduce themselves before they spoke. Eventually, we learnt to say ‘hello’.
Like the telephone, the Web has its own social conventions. People quickly realized that, online, humour and sarcasm had to be used with care. Insulting exchanges, known as ...
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