Question 4: Digital Etiquette

Digital Etiquette:

Is the standards of conduct expected by other digital technology users.

Examples of Inappropriate Digital Etiquette

• Using communication devises for non-class related issues during class time
• Speaking or texting on the cell phone while driving
• Carrying on loud cell phone conversations in crowded areas or at public performances
• Texting while carrying on conversations
• Using camera phones inappropriately
• Using technology for bullying or like behaviours
• Unwillingness to share public technology

Punishment for failure to adhere to netiquette principles 

• Verbal and written warnings.
• In major cases suspensions or if the crime Is of a legal standard could lead to legal actions on the individual 
• Petty crimes against the principles will lead to bans for a period of time
• If further failure to adhere to the principles, disciplinary hearings is organised.

Enforcement of Concepts and Consequences:

The main supervisor with monitoring online interactions by users is the HR department. There will be random online checks of online activity should be implemented to monitor what the individuals each search throughout the day. And then applying the corrective procedures that are needed and an overall attempt to maintain appropriate netiquette and attitudes.

Examples of Appropriate Digital Etiquette

• Inform adults of misuse of technology (bullying)
• Turning cell phone ringers to vibrate or silent when in public areas
• Offering to share technology with others
• Stopping vehicle in safe area to use cell phones
• Keeping cell phone conversations private by moving 10-20 feet away from others and speaking with a soft voice
• Check for messages on communication devises during personal time

Digital Etiquette Scenarios:

Scenario 1:

One weekend a group of friends decide to do some shopping.  Sarah has decided to drive and after picking up a couple of friends she merges on to the interstate and heads towards the mall.  Traffic is heavy as usual and within a few minutes Sarah's cell phone begins to ring. Sarah reaches for her phone...  

• Inappropriate Response Example
  Kate, one of Sarah's friends, grabs the phone and mumbles something about Kate's driving while allowing voice mail to pick up.  

• Appropriate Response
  Kate offers to answer the phone and encourages Sarah to pull over at the next exit and take the call if she wishes.

Scenario 2:

Following the soccer game, the team was in the locker room gathering their belongings. Julie decided to take a quick shower since she was heading to a friend's house to study for an exam she had the following day. Annie, the team captain, thought it would be funny to use her camera phone to take a photo of Julie in the shower. She quietly entered the shower area, and took a quick photo of Julie. Annie runs back to the team bellowing with laughter.

• Inappropriate Response Example
  Annie, along with other girls on the team, rush home to post the photo on their social networking site. 

• Appropriate Response  Example
  A teammate intervenes and deletes the photo from Annie's camera phone as she explains how inappropriate it is to photograph someone without their permission. Annie agrees and apologizes to Julie for taking her photo while she was in the shower.  

Consequences of Digital Footprint Impacts:

• Identity Theft
• College Admissions 
• Employers & Internships
• Scholarships
• Sports

Recommendations to Clean Up Your Profile

• Remove any questionable third party comments or links from your profile.
• Don’t say bad things about your current or past employers and businesses.
• Un-tag all images you are linked in and ask your friends to un-tag you in their pictures. If they refuse, “un-friend” them; real friends care about your requests. You may also be able to change the settings on your account to make it harder for others to tag you in pictures or comments without your permission.
• Remove any offending or questionable images and posts from your profile. Use your gut; if you think it might be questionable, remove it.
• Keep your posts generally positive; leave out the profanity.
• Ask people at parties not to take your picture and not to upload it to the Internet.
• Don’t friend your boss, professor, or colleagues. They may be friendly in a work environment but that does not mean it’s appropriate to bring them to your private life.
• Do not post or respond in anger; stop, take a few breaths, and think about what you are going to write.
• When posting a picture of or information about another person ask for permission first.
• Nothing on the Internet is private; everything on the Internet is permanent.

Netiquette Principles:

1. Act online as you would in real life:

Individuals tend to forget that even though they are interacting via the internet it doesn’t give them the right to act out of their normal character when interacting face to face. As any inappropriate acts done by user can lead to legal actions.

2. Remember the User:

Be aware of your language when you are interacting with another user. Whether it’s through the use of Email, Facebook or any other form of online communication you always need to be mindful of the contents you write or send as you are speaking to another human being on the receiving side.

3. Make yourself look good online: 

Aim to have a positive online reputation. As your reputation online is what company’s and other people see when they are researching about you.

4. Help keep flame wars under control: 

Avoid adding fuel to arguments online. If you are not aiming to help resolve the problem, just keep scrolling.

5. Be mindful and forgiving of other people’s mistakes:
 People are not perfect and will make mistakes when interacting online with you or about you. 
 Bear in mind that other people also make mistakes online just like you do, be mindful that mistakes do happen and take everything with a pinch of salt. Also always be forgiving and don’t hold grudges because someone had a temporary lapse of thought and had an outburst, it could happen to you as well.

6. Respect other peoples privacy: 

Keep information about others away from the online public.

7. Don’t abuse your power or knowledge: 

Be respectful of your power or your knowledge and how you use it to interact with others. Don’t use it to the detriment of others, for example if you control a forum and someone disagrees with what you are saying then using your powers to ban is abusing your those powers.

8. Respect other peoples’ time and bandwidth: 
Bear in mind that the content you create is viewed by other interested people online so try to keep your information concise and to the point as they are giving up their time for your content, don’t waste their time with unnecessary information. The same goes for uploading content to be downloaded, ensure that the size of the files are appropriate and won’t take too much time to download

9. Share expert knowledge: 
Aid people who are having problems, or are unaware on how to act online. As it’s a small step to improve the online community

10. Know what part of cyberspace you are in: 

There are different .types of cyberspaces. Each will require the user to behave in a particular manner to avoid problems.




Reference List: 

http://areyouadigitalcitizen.weebly.com/digital-etiquette.html

https://www.fosi.org/good-digital-parenting/harmful-digital-footprint-impacts-teens/

http://www.northeastern.edu/securenu/social-media-your-online-reputation/