The Digital Etiquette Rules Everyone Should Follow

Download Article

Essential tips for having good manners online

Co-authored by Annabelle Reyes Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: January 14, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

Netiquette Definition

|

11 Rules of Digital Etiquette

|

How to Teach Digital Etiquette to Children

In this digital age, the Internet is a pretty unavoidable part of everyday life. And, because we interact with others online so much, it’s especially important to be aware of digital etiquette, also called “netiquette.” If you want to learn more about what digital etiquette is and how to follow it, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll go over the basic rules of digital etiquette, and we’ll also explain how to teach it to your children if you’re a parent. Keep reading for everything you need to know!

Section 1 of 3:

Netiquette Definition

Download Article

These norms are intended to make the Internet a safer and more positive place for everyone and cover things like emailing, instant messaging, posting on social media, and online gaming.

Section 2 of 3:

11 Rules to Follow for Good Digital Etiquette

Download Article

1
Keep things respectful, truthful, and kind in your online interactions. When you’re commenting, posting, or sending a message on the Internet, remember that you’re interacting with actual people who have feelings and deserve respect. Always follow the Golden Rule and treat people the way you would want to be treated, just like you would in person.
- This means avoiding inflammatory, unkind, or offensive language in your online interactions.
- Avoid strong personal criticisms or attacks, bullying, and spreading gossip about others.^{[1]
  X
  Research source}
- Here's a good rule of thumb to follow: if you wouldn’t say it to someone in person, don't post it online, either.^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
2
Review messages, comments, and posts before sending. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to type something rude or negative and hit “post.” Unfortunately, this often leads to hurt feelings, and you’ll often end up regretting it later—especially because what you say online is memorialized forever. To avoid this regret, pause and reflect before posting or sending something. Reread what you’ve written, and make sure it’s truthful, respectful, and fair.
- Ask yourself, “How would I feel if someone sent this to me or posted this about me?”^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
- If you would feel sad, hurt, or offended, don’t go through with sending the message or making the post.
Kendall Jenner, Model & Social Media Personality

Online trolling can hurt anyone's feelings. "You can get a million comments about how beautiful you look and how awesome you are, but the one comment that says they hate you and you're ugly is the one that sticks."
3
Don’t engage in digital drama in the comments section. If you see a negative comment, you may be tempted to fight back with some heated words of your own. Though this may feel good in the moment, it only escalates things and makes them worse. Plus, unlike verbal arguments, online conversations can be preserved and documented forever, so your words can come back to bite you in the future.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Avoid replying to negative comments with more negativity.
- Instead, break the cycle with a positive comment, or disengage yourself from the conversation altogether.
- If you actually know this person, you can try to patch things up with them face-to-face, rather than going at each other online.
4
Don’t use profanity or type in all capitals. In many cases, swearing or using offensive language can lead to arguments or hurt feelings, so it’s best to avoid these things in your online interactions. Similarly, typing in all capitals can make it feel as if you’re yelling at someone, so it’s typically considered impolite.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- If you want to emphasize a point, try italicizing, bolding, or putting asterisks around it, rather than typing it in all caps.
- For example, instead of emailing someone, “I need you to send me ALL the reports before the meeting on Monday,” which comes across as a bit rude, you could say:
- “I’ll need to review all the reports before the meeting on Monday. Can you please send them? I’m missing a few.”
5
Protect your privacy and the privacy of others. When you post something publicly on the internet, strangers now have access to that information. To keep yourself safe, avoid posting personal information (such as your full name, where you live, where you go to school, where you work, etc). Respect others’ privacy and avoid posting their personal information without permission, as well.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you want to post a picture of a friend or share an update about their life, check to make sure it’s okay with them first.
- Your friend may not be comfortable with their personal details being on the internet, so if they tell you not to post something, respect their decision.
Whenever you want to share a photo or video someone else has taken or post something that someone else has written, make sure to give them credit, and never try to pass off their content as your own.
Avoid sending explicit or inappropriate photos, videos, messages, or links to other people.^{[7]
X
Research source} If you wouldn’t feel comfortable showing something to someone in person, this is a surefire sign that it’s not appropriate to send it to them online, either.
“Trolling” means posting or commenting intentionally offensive or provocative things to upset others.^{[8]
X
Research source} “Spamming” means sending a large number of unsolicited emails or messages.^{[9]
X
Research source} Avoid both of these behaviors, which are considered bad internet etiquette.
9
Stay on topic when posting or commenting. If you’re posting on a message board or online forum, try to stick to the topic at hand, rather than bringing up something unrelated. This also goes for comments on videos or photos.
- For example, if you’re part of a Facebook group meant to help people in your city find roommates, don’t make a post asking the members for good restaurant recommendations, since this is off-topic.
- Similarly, if you’re watching a YouTube video on how to crochet a sweater, don’t comment asking how to knit a sweater, since that is an entirely different process. Instead, look up a different video on how to knit a sweater.
If you enjoy playing video games against others online, treat them with kindness and respect. Avoid being a sore loser, and do your best to keep your cool, even when you’re frustrated.^{[10]
X
Research source}
11
Behave appropriately for each online setting you’re in. Digital etiquette will vary from setting to setting, and what’s acceptable in one place may not be acceptable in another.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you’re sending a message in a group chat with your friends, it may be appropriate to use texting lingo and informal language.
- If you’re posting a message in your online classroom for school, on the other hand, use proper spelling and punctuation, as well as more formal language.
- Pay attention to the ways people are posting and communicating in whatever online setting you’re in, and adjust your own behavior accordingly.

Section 3 of 3:

How to Teach Digital Etiquette to Children

Download Article

Have a conversation about Internet conduct and safety with your kids. In today’s world, it’s nearly impossible to keep your children from using the Internet. At some point, they’ll need to do online research for an assignment, communicate via text with classmates about a project, or create a social media account to keep up with friends. That's why it’s important to make them aware of the basic rules of netiquette.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- When you talk to your child about digital etiquette, make sure to explain why each of the rules is so important. This will help your child understand why they should follow them. For example:
  - When you tell your child to be mindful about what they post, explain that this is because what they say online is permanent, and their digital footprint can affect whether they get hired for a job or admitted to a college.
  - When you tell them to keep their online interactions kind and positive, explain the dangers of cyberbullying and the negative effects it can have on people.
  - When cautioning them against sharing personal information online, explain that this is to prevent dangerous people (such as predators or hackers) from gaining access to it.^{[13]
    X
    Research source}