Internet Etiquette (could be Social Media Etiquette): They don’t teach you this at school. After all, the internet is a very recent thing.
Author’s note: The Facebook Promotion may have been changed to further bring this article’s points. If you’re reading this, good for you! You actually click before sharing.
For the purpose of this article, we’re also just focusing on Facebook.
READ: How Free Facebook & Promos are killing Philippine Internet
We can’t deny the impact that Facebook has done in our country. It spreads news reports like wildfire, it deceives people on poorly written satire, it can destroy a life with wrong accusations, and it could help win a national president. Internet Etiquette should be common sense, but something tells me a lot of people don’t have common sense recently, so here are some points I can think about when Facebook Etiquette comes into mind:
1. Before you share something, make sure you know it well and that it’s confirmed.
In real life etiquette: Wag kang chismoso. It’s like you got just heard a headline from your officemate, spread it like wildfire and didn’t even bother to confirm if it was true. It’s the same thing on social media; you’re not really helping out with the flow of information in society if you spread false things without confirming. Check the sources. Check the site’s credibility if it’s an article. Check the person if it’s a real account. Just confirm it before you do. Free Facebook isn’t an excuse.
2. Don’t rip off content.
In real life etiquette: Wag kang magnakaw. The internet is a free place, and some of us know how hypocritical this is sometimes, but it really is common sense to not to copy paste content from one place to another, dragging traffic away from one source.
3. Don’t share explicit content.
In real life etiquette: Wag bastos. Nobody goes around talking porn in public (well, usually), and you don’t talk about gore and feces on the dining table. Be sensitive.
4. Don’t shove your beliefs on other social spaces you don’t own.
In real life etiquette: Bawal umihi dito. Use your own bathroom. Your beliefs are fine on your own wall, your own comments section, but insulting others on their own spaces and spamming their messages with your thoughts is not in any way going to help anyone. Nobody goes to the other church to curse their beliefs.
5. Keep the space clean
In real life etiquette: Wag magkalat. I know it’s hard to pick up someone else’s trash, but digitally speaking as well, if you see threats, curses, bad propaganda and stolen content, do report them. It’s the only way your space will feel safer, and your life, happier.
6. Stop objectifying
In real life etiquette: Stop catcalling, or ‘Hokage‘ moves in general. When someone gets catcalled, it’s not up to the caller to determine if it’s offensive or not, so let’s be careful in putting out comments that may inspire fear on someone else. When your friend adds another attractive person on Facebook, think about how the other person would feel.
Do you have other rules in mind? Feel free to drop them in the comments section and feel free to share this with your friends as well!
think before you post a social media responsibility