The impact of technology on society is manifested in many ways, some more evident, others more subtle and if lifestyle changes it, you also need to adapt your behavior. Etiquette rules in the use of modern technologies are as important as good old manners, and must be made their own to avoid becoming unwelcome to others and rude without realizing it.
Without having the presumption of teaching someone education, the intention of this article is to list some general rules for staying polite and behaving well in using the computer, mobile phone and internet, when interacting or meeting with other people.
1) Put the phone silent whenever you are in situations where people around pay attention to something: watching a movie, studying a book, listening to a lesson, at work, waiting at the hospital or in any place where silence is required. Of course, if you answer quickly enough, you can turn off the ringer in seconds, but the attention of the others has now been interrupted.
2) Stop playing with the phone in front of other people
There are few things more frustrating than seeing one of the participants in a group conversation, perhaps in the pub or restaurant, who is looking down and playing on his cell phone or writing messages on Facebook. Ironically, those same social networks that were designed to keep us all connected lead many of us to disconnect from the real world and physical relationships. It is good education to stop fiddling with your cell phone, tablet or laptop while you are with other people, especially if someone is trying to have a real conversation with us.
3) Be timely to respond to messages, but also patient and respectful
One of the advantages of today's mobile technology is that you can reach practically anyone we want in an instant.
The days when you had to wait for a person to talk to you are over, today you can call anyone or send them a message and even know if they have read it, with Whatsapp or Facebook. This constant connection however means that there are no more excuses for not having answered a message or a call. At the same time as it is polite to reply always and immediately, one must also understand that not everyone can do it and, therefore, not take it if the answer arrives late, even if it is found that that message had been read some time before.
4) No use of electronic devices in the cinema
It is not only the ringtone that bothers in cinemas or in any other dark environment, but also the light of the screens of smartphone phones.
So please refrain from checking electronic devices when in the cinema.
5) Do not write messages or text on the internet all in capital letters
Letters written in capital letters, in modern message technologies and for the rules of good manners in forums, blogs and websites, indicate that people are screaming. Writing entirely in capital letters is therefore an indication of rudeness. This rule extends to any communication medium that uses written text: emails, instant messages, social networking sites, etc.
6) Don't complain too much on the Internet
People who complain all the time on forums and on Facebook are simply unpleasant while those who argue too much can be taken as Trolls. The fact that you are behind a keyboard, perhaps remaining anonymous, gives greater security to people who therefore think they can fight and argue without respect for others. Wars of opinion are a classic that animate forums and blogs, which often lose value and result in insult.
7) Avoid pushed sarcasm
It is one thing to make sarcastic lines out loud, another to do it through written messages. Without a tone of voice, in fact, one can be misunderstood and it is difficult if not impossible to transmit sarcasm or irony about something via text, easily running the risk of offending someone, even if involuntarily.
8) Email etiquette
After 20 years, email is still an insidious means of communication from the educational point of view, which requires walking on the fine line between "too formal" and "too informal".
In the end, the problems of poor education in the use of technology and the internet almost always occur when we begin to believe that our devices (or the use of our devices) are more important than the people around us. We play Ruzzle or Candy Crush instead of conversing with someone, we forget that behind a pseudonym on a form or on a blog there is a real person and we often lack respect for those who write on the internet. These are fairly common mistakes that happen to everyone, which require only habit in the conscious use of technology.
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