10 Commandments of Tech Etiquette

							10 Commandments of Tech Etiquette
… for the academic and professional world:
  1.   Thou shall not text or chat after midnight on school nights or work nights. You need rest to function
       well. Make setting the alarm on your phone the last thing you do. Go to sleep, already; if you go to
       bed at a reasonable time, you are more likely to be on time to meetings, classes, and appointments.
       And people will respect you if you are on time and seem well put together.
  2.   Thou shall not have inappropriate, cryptic, or juvenile email addresses, usernames, or online
       identities (wholelottaluv, jdawg2012, etc.). It’s unprofessional and may give off a bad impression,
       keeping you from a possible job, scholarship, or college opportunity. If need be, create two email
       accounts: one for friends and acquaintances, one for work and school.
  3.   Thou shall not use texting language in essays, emails, memos, or other formal documents. It reveals
       your inability to adapt your language for different audiences. Your boss doesn’t care as much about
       your intricate emoticons as much as she cares about your high-quality job performance.
  4.   Thou shall not have ear or headphones on when talking to other people. Even if your music is off or
       turned low, it seems like you don’t care about the conversation enough to give people your full
       attention. It makes it look like conversations happen only between your favorite songs.
  5.   Thou shall not post explicit pictures on social networking sites, or anywhere online. Apart from
       other obvious reasons, thou wilt get caught and be judged.
  6.   Thou shall avoid all covert texting tactics: leaving for the bathroom, pretending to check the time,
       hiding your phone between your legs or in the covers of a book. Also, the Blind Text, the Quick
       Glance Text, the Turn and Stretch, the Head on the Desk, the Great Purse Rummage, etc.
… for the social and romantic world:
  7.   Thou shall spend a reasonable amount of time on Facebook and other social networking sites. While
       on those sites, thou shall not gossip through comments, which all your friends can read. If you have
       a personal comment to make, call the person or send a private message. Do not change your mood
       or status more than two times a day. Only attention cravers do so. Get a blog.
  8.   Thou shall not give out personal information in a chat room. Even if a person seems friendly, his or
       her real identity may be different from his or her virtual identity. Also, thou shall ask people out for
       dates and/or break up with people in person. Asking out and breaking up over AIM or text
       messaging is cheap and shows lack of confidence. Own your words face-to-face.
  9.   Thou shall use the phone as an adult: 1.) Do not use thy cellular device while in a theater. It’s rude
       to everyone there. Even if you have it on silent, people around you can see the distracting, white
       glow. 2.) Thou shall not use three way calling to catch someone in a lie or to deceive someone. It’s
       childish. 3.) Thou shall not triple text. If a person does not respond to you, there is probably a
       reason. Poking them incessantly is not going to make them want to respond.
  10. Do not sext. It is ethically wrong, icky, and you could go to jail.
                                                                            rd   th   th
                                                               Written by 3 , 4 , and 6 period Language Arts, 2008-2009
TheNewsTribune.com
Section: SoundLife
Bill Hutchens; The News Tribune


Rudeness Awakening


Laurie Puhn is becoming the online Ann Landers of new-millennium manners. If you have a question
about etiquette in the age of information, just ask the Harvard attorney and communications expert.


“The ruder the world gets, the better it is for people who are polite because it only gives us a competitive
advantage,” Puhn said during a recent phone call.


Puhn, who writes the blog “Rudeness, Interrupted” and wrote the book “Instant Persuasion: How to
Change Your Words to Change Your Life,” has appeared on several TV news and talk shows to discuss
tech etiquette – and the growing culture of rudeness in the world.


A chapter on e-mail manners in her book struck a chord with readers, who continue to ask their tech
etiquette questions by e-mail and through her blog. In response to increased interest in modern-day
manners, Puhn recently came up with the “Golden Rules of Tech-Etiquette.”


“We’re so excited to be connected all the time, we’ve forgotten our manners,” Puhn said. “I realized
people were in need of help.”


Her rules likely will evolve over time as new questions pop up. One new issue has to do with the
rudeness of wearing one iPod earbud while leaving the other dangling during conversation, she said.


“Give someone your full attention,” Puhn said. “Technology can improve our profits, connect us to other
people. It’s a wonderful, wonderful thing. The problem is when you put it in front of people and make it a
priority over other people.”


Here, then, are Puhn’s “Golden Rules of Tech Etiquette,” framed with fictional questions they might
answer. HanzOvermyeers31: Laurie, like everyone else in the world, I can’t stand it when people have
loud cell phone conversations in a restaurant or in line at the bank. Do these people not know how
annoying that is? What’s the rule of thumb on this?
Rule No. 1: Don’t be an “exhibition talker” who forces strangers to listen to your lengthy cell phone
conversation when they have no way out because they’re standing in line at the post office, waiting in a
doctor’s office or sitting on a bus, plane or train.


AlwaysinSecondPlace: Laurie, I can hear my business associates tapping away at their keyboards while
I’m on the phone with them. Why do they think their e-mails are more important than our conversation?


Rule No. 2: Don’t be a “techno-pest” who types e-mails while talking on the phone. The tapping sound of
the keyboard indicates your lack of interest in the conversation.


InTheDogHouse: Laurie, My wife got all upset the other day ’cause I answered my cell phone during our
dinner conversation. What’s wrong with her?


Rule No. 3: Don’t say “excuse me” in the middle of a conversation so you can rudely answer your cell
phone and casually talk to someone else for a few minutes or more.


Achybreakyback_798: Laurie, people shouldn’t walk and talk. Or, at least, they should wear brake lights.
The other day I plowed into someone who abruptly stopped walking to answer his phone. Ouch! >: (


Rule No. 4: Don’t cause “cell bump” by making someone bump into you when you stop short to grab
your ringing cell phone from your purse or jacket.


CluelessinSeattle: Whazzup? What’s the big deal with salutations?


Rule No. 5: Do begin your e-mails with greetings like “Hello” or “Good morning.”


I. Kahntakt, Mississippi: Laurie, is it wrong for people to continue text-messaging during conversation?


Rule No. 6: Don’t be a “CrackBerry” addict and tap away at your BlackBerry or text-messaging device
while in the middle of face-to-face conversation with someone.


MarySunshine42: Laurie, thanks for the quick response to my e-mail the other day. Your information was
helpful. : )


Rule No. 7: Do reply to e-mails with “Got it” or “Thanks” whenever someone e-mails you information you
requested, even when that person doesn’t ask you to confirm receipt.
JaneSmith: Laurie, you bum! I know you’re referring to me in Rule No. 6. I hate you, you jerk! See you at
work later.


Rule No. 8: Don’t use e-mail as a tool to say something you would not have the courage to say in
person. Expect that one day you will face that person and he/she will remember every word you wrote.


MissSpells: Laurie, what’s the deel wit bad spellerz? Peeple need to use spellchecks more oftin. Ideeits.
:P


Rule No. 9: Do remember that an e-mail reflects your personal image. If you misspell words, it could
indicate to some people that you are lazy or lack education.


Less Clew: Laurie, I was shocked when a co-worker shared some personal information from our recent
phone conversation. What can I do? I also have some questions about tax evasion, drug addiction and
the women I’m seeing behind my wife’s back, but those can wait till later. : o


Rule No. 10: Don’t discuss personal or revealing information on your cell phone when in public. Assume
that whatever you say about yourself or others will appear on the front page of The New York Times.


Check out the “Rudeness, Interrupted” blog at www.lauriepuhn.blogspot.com.