• 5 months ago
Transcript
00:00And now, the final piece to a project five years in the making.
00:10Okay, we get it. You like Star Trek better.
00:15I'm not sure that was an accident.
00:24To Tim and Moby.
00:27What's the deal with digital etiquette? From George.
00:32Digital etiquette, or netiquette, is a set of rules for how to behave online.
00:38Right, it's a lot like real life etiquette, which is basically having good manners and treating others with respect.
00:45It's just as important in our digital lives, including how we act in online games,
00:50or how we communicate in emails, texts, message boards, and social media.
00:55All of these platforms let us talk and share instantly wherever we are.
01:00But unfortunately, that can make it easy for people to forget their manners.
01:05Well, like if you disagree with a friend, or you have strong feelings about a topic.
01:10In person, you wouldn't go straight to insults and yelling.
01:14A lot of that's because you can see who you're talking to, and so much of our communication is visual.
01:20But when you talk online, especially through text platforms like Twitter, you don't get that visual feedback.
01:26You might end up being more blunt or forceful than usual.
01:30That can trigger the other person to respond in the same way.
01:33Before you know it, you're in a full-blown argument.
01:36This happens so often, we even have a name for it.
01:40It's called flaming, and it can lead to full-on flame wars when people trade insults online.
01:46Believe it or not, some people actually cruise around looking to start flame wars.
01:51We call these troublemakers trolls. Kind of fitting, huh?
01:56Well, I don't think we become meaner online.
02:00It's just that it's easier to forget the rules, especially in cases where you're dealing with strangers.
02:06On the Internet, it's pretty easy to stay anonymous or unidentified.
02:11Having a secret identity to hide behind can make people pretty brave.
02:15And when all they see of you is a screen name or funny icon, they might forget they're dealing with a real human being.
02:22Or a sensitive robot.
02:25Well, it's simple. Just like in real life, you should treat other people the way you want to be treated.
02:32You wouldn't want somebody to be rude to you, so don't be rude to anyone else.
02:37If you're having a disagreement with someone, don't let your emotions get away from you.
02:42Stay calm, even if it seems like they're trying to make you mad.
02:46There's nothing trolls like more than getting someone to lose their cool.
02:51Well, netiquette isn't just about being nice. It's also about communicating clearly.
02:57That means keeping emails and texts clear and to the point.
03:01It also means making your messages easy to read and understand, which can depend on your audience.
03:07Like, some abbreviations and emoticons may be fine with friends.
03:12But they're not appropriate in formal communication.
03:15And whatever you do, don't write in all capital letters.
03:19All caps makes it seem like you're yelling.
03:22Well, humor isn't always obvious in writing.
03:26Without seeing facial expressions or hearing someone's voice, it can be hard to tell the difference between a friendly joke and real cruelty.
03:38One way to make sure you're communicating clearly is to re-read what you write before you send it.
03:49Check your tone, grammar, and spelling to make sure you really mean to say what you've written.
03:54Once your message is out, you usually can't take it back.
03:57Lastly, if you want to post something about a friend, like a photo, get their permission first.
04:04No!
04:06People's personal information is private, and you can really ruin relationships if you reveal something that a friend or a friend's parents don't want on the web.
04:15The Internet is a public place.
04:18If you wouldn't want a parent, teacher, college admissions director, or future employer to see something you post, don't post it.
04:27Ah, thanks, buddy.
04:33And you live long and prosper.
04:36You know, if my avatar had fingers, you'd see that I'm giving the Vulcan salute.