7 Rules of Netiquette to Maintain A Good Online Presence

Ever heard of the word Netiquette? Or you know it but don't understand.

Okay. Okay, I've got you.

When the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable. Hence, it's important to understand what Netiquette means.

Before the advent of technology, ancient civilizations used various means of communication, including spoken language, written language, and non-verbal methods like gestures, smoke signals, and drums, for long-distance communication. But with the invention of the internet, has facilitated seamless interactions through various platforms such as email, video calls, instant messaging, etc. Netiquette is a portmanteau, coined from two different words, and are 'internet' and 'etiquette', and when you blend them like curry and thyme poured into a pot of soup, it becomes the word Netiquette which means a manner of conduct you should have, set of rules and guidelines you should follow in other to maintain peace and harmony in the online space. Sounds interesting, yeah?

This is because as humans, we believe how we behave in the real world should be taken onto the street of the internet, and it doesn't work that way. It's social media, and our digital footprint can be traced, God be thanked for the online tracking technology. Therefore, as citizens of the Internet! Netizens, it's important to understand how you should think, feel, and act in the online space. From trying to post on any platforms, chatting with family, friends, and loved ones, or securing a contract, you don't want to jeopardize these relationships…You need to Netiquette!  And I will bring to you some of the rules if you desire to maintain your online reputation

1. Say NO to vulgar words: You read differently from others and see from diverse perspectives which may make you share your thoughts, without conformity, but no matter how you feel, it's important to be conscious of dropping comments in the form of insults or post negative words that don't align with who you are, because people are watching. Here's a little backstory I heard from a friend of how he almost got arrested by some policemen, and that they wanted to be certain if he was who he said he was, and in his presence, they went through his handles to see if there were any form of bad conduct, and of course, nothing was found. So, say no to vulgarity.
2. Take breaks: Permit me to take a line from the Holy Bible which says, 'Let all things be done in moderation,' which can also imply that you don't have to be everywhere, hopping on trends, engaging conversations from one to another, dragging someone on Twitter...blah blah blu when you can always spend time off, doing more productive tasks like reading a book, listening to podcasts, cooking a recipe, etc., something new and challenging that doesn't require coming online every time, and will serve as a form of self-reflection, leading you to greater heights.
3. Communicate as humans do: Have you ever had someone in your DM, replying with a one-word answer, for example, 'How are you?' The response is 'fine.' 'How did your day go?,' and gives the same response which can be annoying, because only robots do that, and since you are not one of them, it's best to interact the way you do 'amebo' (gist) with your girlfriends, returning the exact amount of energy. The goal is to be authentic, no matter your personality. Just be you.
4. Give what belongs to Caesar to Caesar: Sharing a piece of work that you like isn't bad, but without acknowledging the owner, is a big deal. When you give credit to someone, it paves the way for more connections, and also as a form of integrity and originality because imagine the content became a hit, there's the tendency for people to believe it's yours, but when you give honour to whom it's due, it goes a long way or why do you think celebrities like Toke Makinwa, will post a breath-taking picture on her page, in any attire, make-up and jewellery, photography sef, and won't tag those she worked with, it's because she recognizes their efforts and decides to share.
5. Never intrude with unnecessary calls: One of the reasons I find picking calls tiring is because some friends would call 16 to 20 times or I would have 30 missed calls, as though I committed a crime. The worst part is impromptu video calls…sighs. However urgent it is that you want someone to interact with you, stop making unnecessary calls as you never can tell the situation the person may have or how many individuals he has to respond to, and when you would like to send a voice note, courtesy demands that you seek permission or you let the person know beforehand.
6. Hit the nail on the head: You need something from someone, you want to catch the person's attention, ask directly without beating around the bush. Whatever it is you want the world to know about, and could be a piece of information, advice, or a comment, never waste time with it and always hit the nail on the head, because it will save time and stress for the other person to understand you.
7. Avoid using abbreviations: Chatting can be boring sometimes and can make you not use the right dictions and punctuation, rather go for short, abbreviated words, for example, 'Aw was your nite?' instead of 'How was your night?', 'I luv you' instead of 'I love you', and while it sounds fun and interesting, it's a huge turn-off, especially when entering someone's DM for the first time, to your boss, or a client, etc., it's a red flag that could make you be considered a nuisance and in the end, they click the block button, and it's not your village people at fault, but because you failed to understand that it's a special situation and should be done in a long form. 

Now you know…It's not difficult, is it? The question is, are you going to practice these?

Co-written with Towolawi Praise Temiloluwa