Do you use the same manners and etiquette online as you do in person? Do you feel you have more freedom to do or say what you want online? Do you ask permission of others before you post or share something online? This articles describes various situations that involve social media etiquette and suggests what is appropriate.
Do You Have Social Media Etiquette?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nancy_ONeill]Nancy ONeill
When you post a photo online or tag a person in a picture, do you ask permission from them first? What about sharing private information about your family or friends? Or what about posting videos or photos of strangers on your social media sites?
With the ease of capturing people in public without their knowledge, it’s impossible for someone to retain privacy unless they never leave their house. Let’s say you’re at a restaurant with your family enjoying dinner. Or you’re at school or work going through your daily routine. Or maybe it’s the weekend and you’re shopping at the mall. Anyone with a cell phone could be taking your picture or shooting a video of you without you ever knowing it. Within a matter of minutes, they’ve posted it on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. Your name probably isn’t mentioned unless they know you and maybe you won’t ever see the post but your personal life is now public without your permission.
What if you’re with some of your friends just goofing around? Someone pulls out a camera or their phone and starts clicking. Everyone is having fun but maybe not all of the people involved actually want these photos plastered all over Internet. Just because you can take photos effortlessly these days and post them online doesn’t mean you should.
Let’s look at another situation. You attend a conference. You meet lots of people, make great contacts and instant friends, and exchange all your social media information. It’s common for people to be taking pictures of everything and anything all day long at an event. Before your head hits the pillow, there’s a good chance that someone took your picture during the day and that you will be tagged in a photo posted online somewhere. In this situation, it’s probably harmless and most people won’t care if you shared their photo. However, it wouldn’t hurt to exercise common courtesy and get their permission or at least mention that you might share it with several thousand of your closest friends on Twitter or Facebook.
Ask yourself this question. “Would I take a photo of someone and post it on a freeway billboard or send it to a newspaper editor or use it in a book I was writing, all without ever asking the person’s permission first?”
Sharing information, videos, and photos online shouldn’t be any different from what you would respectfully do in person. People are entitled to their privacy. The next time you take a photo or video of someone and are ready to post it online, think about asking their permission first.
When kids are involved, extra consideration should be taken. Everyone, including parents, should think long and hard before posting anything online about their own kids or other kids without permission.
What you share online now will have an effect on your life and the lives of others for many years to come.
Nancy O’Neill is the Common Sense Consultant. Combining her education and experience, she offers a common sense approach on a variety of topics for entrepreneurs of all ages, authors, speakers, parents, and kids. Life or business does not have to be complicated but many times, people make it that way. Nancy believes the most effective way to help people is by giving them the tools to think for themselves. Through practical, common sense education and coaching, a person can gain the knowledge to become confident in their own abilities and not rely on someone else to spoon-feed them information.
Nancy also uses her creative talent for web and graphic design, concept direction, writing, publishing, and marketing.
She lives in southern California with her husband and teenage son.
Visit http://www.onedotenterprises.com for any of her services.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Do-You-Have-Social-Media-Etiquette?&id=6838107] Do You Have Social Media Etiquette?
