Unit 3-1 Internet Etiquette

After completing this unit, you will be able to:

• Define the term netiquette and explain its derivation.
• Understand what it means to “spam” someone on the Internet, and know what to do if someone spams you.
• Be prepared to protect yourself against unethical users who use e-mail to spread hoaxes and send viruses that can damage your computer or the programs and data it contains.
• Understand the concept of lurking, and know when you should lurk.
• Know what it means to “flame” someone on the Internet.
• Understand the concept of SHOUTING on the Internet and become sensitized to not overdoing it.
• Recognize the more common smileys and other emoticons used on the Internet, and know how to look up the meaning of less common symbols.
• Understand what the more common three-letter acronyms mean, and know where to go on the Web to look up more esoteric acronyms.
• Understand some of the more commonly used Internet jargon, and know where to find a more complete listing of Internet terms and definitions

Reading

Read chapter 5 of the Internet Literacy textbook to study the concepts covered by this unit.

Online Activities

Netiquette is a term coined by combining the words "Internet Etiquette" into a single name. Netiquette is the observance of certain rules and conventions that have evolved in order to keep the Internet from becoming a free-for-all in which tons of unwanted messages and junk mail would clog your in-box and make the Information Superhighway an unfriendly place to be. Chapter 5 presents the rules for commercial versus educational use of the Internet, suggests a way for you to become a good citizen of the Net (network citizens are called netizens), and defines everyday terms and jargon used on the Net. The following online activities reinforce important concepts and bring the reading to life:

• Follow the Interlit Web site link to the Ten Commandments of Computer Use. Study these guidelines, which were developed by the Computer Ethics Institute.
• On the Internet, the term spam means unwanted messages posted to newsgroups or sent to a list of users through e-mail. It is important for you to know how to fight spam. Follow the Interlit Web site links to the tutorial entitled "How to Complain to Providers about Spam."

Assignments

After you complete this unit, you will be ready to complete the assignments that ask you to:

Go to the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities site by following the links in the Netiquette section of the Interlit Web site. Read carefully the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for Electronic Learners that you will find there. Do you agree with all of the items covered in this Bill of Rights? What do you disagree with? Do you plan to abide by these guidelines? Do you think they leave out anything important? What iss not covered that should be?

Go to one or more of the smiley sites in the smiley section of the Interlit Web site, and browse the list of emoticons you will find there. What are your favorite emoticons? Type your favorite emoticons into your answer, and explain what they mean. Which emoticons do you find too esoteric (that is, too hard to understand) for general use on the Internet? Type the overly esoteric emoticons into your answer, and explain what they are supposed to mean.

Follow the Interlit Web site link to the Glossary of E-mail and Online Chat Acronyms, and study the acronyms you will find there. Which acronyms do you think an Internet Literate person should know? Type these acronyms into your answer, and tell what they stand for. Which acronyms are too esoteric for general use on the Internet? Type the overly esoteric acronyms into your answer, and tell what they are supposed to mean.