What is Netiquette?

Netiquette refers to etiquette in electronic communication (the net). With technology and Internet use growing and evolving at exponential rates, these rules and guidelines are essential in a business environment. Not too long ago it seemed like online communication occurred only amongst a small community, yet in today’s society, electronic communication is essential for successful careers and social lives. One report done by the U.S Department of Commerce estimates that more then half of nation today is online (Sullivan, 2006) and these millions of people are communicating across all boundaries (geographical, age, cultural, etc.) in ways that were never possible in the past. “These Internet users come from many cultures and walks of life. They arrive with a mix of expectations using a variety of technologies, which they access in different ways” (Preece, 2004, p.56). People are forming new virtual communities all of the time through shared ideas instead of physical location (Pankoke-Babatz & Jeffery, 2002) and just like physical communities adapt their own culture and principles for polite communication, virtual communities do the same. The lack of face-to-face communication, however, can make virtual communities prone to unique problems due to the lack of non-verbal cues. Without guidelines to guide online behavior and minimize communication problems, the consequences could result from anywhere to upset feelings to legal troubles.

References

Pankoke-Babatz, U., & Jeffery, P. (2002). Documented Norms and Conventions on the Internet. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 14, 2, pp.219-235, [Electronic Version]. Retreived November 19, 2006 from
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=40&hid=2&sid=abe83363-acba-41d5-b692-68c2c2dbb690%40sessionmgr9.

Preece, J. (2004). Etiquette Online: From Nice to Necessary. Communications of the ACM, 47, 4, pp. 56-61, [Electronic Version]. Retrieved November 19, 2006 from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=7&hid=101&sid=d1208530-5f2e-4481-b33d-90b66885899a%40sessionmgr104.

Sullivan, B. (2002) Netiquette. Computerworld, 36, 48-49.