Know your netiquette

All of us use the internet and are conversant with social networking. Twitter, Facebook, Linked-in, Instagram, Whats-app, you name it, we are on it. But in spite of being such avid users of the net, how many of us are familiar with the rules of etiquette one should use while on the net?

We all "like" posts, tweet and retweet, comment on blogs and updates. But do we realize the inherent responsibility as netizens? Without exception, everybody wants to be liked for their pictures, posts and blogs. This human need for being recognized is present in all of us, and it often takes extreme proportions in virtual life. But while we need to be liked, others too have this need, and just being active on social media doesn't make them easy targets for loose comments or sarcasm from us.

Many of us who are otherwise shy or reclusive become bold on the net and on social media. Under the anonymity the internet offers, we feel free to comment on or criticize any one without fear of rebuttal or retaliation. But such criticism may result in inflicting deep, lasting scars on those who are vulnerable. A recent case in point is the Doordarshan presenter who covered the IFFI event in Goa. Her gaffes were booed and she was bullied to such an extent on social media that she has gone into depression, besides having lost professional credibility.

Are our wisecracks and jeering so essential that we destroy people's self-confidence? Suppose we face such jeers and taunts on the net, what will we do? Shouldn't we be more cautious and responsible before making adverse and loose virtual comments? Can a minimum level of decency be expected from netizens?