Tag: ETIQUETTE

The reason I actually like commenters is that they're grown, thinking, playful adults, doing their own thing, with diverse opinions and backgrounds and therefore something to bring to the table. So you are grown up enough to own your behavior and treat people (at least pretty much) the way you'd want to be treated. That is why we have a successful commenting community of smarties: because you ...

Unlike real athletes, golfers insist on playing their "sport" in tightly controlled environments. With the exception of perhaps Ryder Cup attendees, spectators at any professional golf tournament are expected to remain quiet before a player swings, politely applaud afterward, and duly march onward, in civilized propriety. Until recently, fans weren't even allowed to bring cell phones to ...

Share We've talked at great lengths about the changing nature of etiquette in the digital age, and one of the more nuanced guidelines has to do with answering your phone while in somebody's company. When you're hanging out with friends at a bar, and a straggler calls to get directions, it's certainly not impolite to answer the phone right then and there. When you're having a serious, one-on-one ...

Are Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei, the two Rutgers University students accused of broadcasting roommate Tyler Clementi shortly before he killed himself, evil people? Kaitlin Sheerin, a junior at the school, recently told NPR, "I would never think of invading my roommate's privacy like that. I think it's sick what they did." But, since the ethical rules of the Internet are still only beginning to be ...

Lately, we've been worried about the mask of anonymity that many Internet users don before they hop onto a comment thread and start spewing vile sentiments at their fellow users. Unlike day-to-day speech, which has its ingrained mores and relative codes of civility, the Internet is a whole new communication mechanism, where you don't need to look someone in the eye as you tell them that future ...

At the risk of sounding cranky and old, we'll go ahead and say it: there's no reason to text during a movie. If you must, just step out to the lobby instead of ruining our $12 experience. According to The Arizona Republic, Harkins Theatres has launched a campaign encouraging moviegoers to refrain from texting during movies. Through Christmas, posters reading, 'No Texting During Movie' will be hung ...

Need further proof that the Internet is turning us into anti-social, asexual balls of pathetic brain mush? Look no further than the results of a new survey from security firm PC Tools. According to the survey, 29-percent of American Internet users see no problem whatsoever with accessing the Internet during a wedding, 41-percent think it's perfectly acceptable to surf during family dinners, ...

Most of Germany's urban transit system runs on an honor code. In essence, the functionality of an honor system rests on the assumption that people will act as law-abiding citizens, and pay metro or bus fees even in the absence of enforcement. It's an interesting approach to behavioral economics, and one that, like everything else in Germany, seems to work pretty well. Now, though, one German ...

Believe it or not, but not all Twitter users are there to connect with others, share random factoids about their day or spread links to fun stuff they find on the Web. No, some take to the service simply to feel better about themselves by belittling others for the amusement of onlookers. The Twitter trolls come in several forms. CapsCop, for instance, pounces on users who have the unpleasant ...

Share Text messages are great for conveying quick, easy information -- movie times, limericks, racy photos. Other topics of discussion, though, are far too delicate for clumsy thumbs, or awkward SMS shorthand. Firing someone is one such topic. Shane Bolsher, 39, had spent just under a year working as a manager at Fife Fine Foods in Leicestershire, U.K., before getting axed last weekend -- ...

Share Last week, Slate asked its readers to submit their suggestions for a golden rule of texting etiquette -- a simple, easy-to-remember, universal solution for those awkward texting moments when the line between politeness and rudeness begins to blur. After sifting through over 300 responses, the Slate editors finally unearthed the winner: a maxim known as "The Bathroom Rule." Submitted by a ...

Babies these days just can't catch a break. When parents aren't turning their infants into LOLCats, they're posting every waking moment (literally) of their existence to the Internet for the whole world to go gaga over. Or, every now and then, they're dumb enough to publish photos so scandalous that social services comes a-knocking. The BBC reports that police in Essex, U.K. have undertaken a ...

The cell phone has been draining the world's sperm supply for more than 35 years already. And yet, as ubiquitous as mobiles are today, so too are the dolts who still haven't grasped how to use one responsibly. For anyone who's ever gabbed at dinner, texted on the toilet, ruined a movie, or grossed out an elevator (just to name a few mobile no-nos), Switched presents the following guide of ...

digg_url ='http://www.switched.com/2009/10/12/10-rules-for-dealing-with-family-on-facebook/'; It's probably the scariest friend request you'll ever get: Your mom (or dad... or, God forbid, grandparent) has joined Facebook – and they want to connect. Sure, you love them – and you're happy they're embracing the digital age – but do you really want to keep them that informed ...

A New Zealand office worker recently learned a tough lesson: When sending an e-mail, be careful with fonts and colors. Someone could interpret that bold sentence the wrong way. According to The New Zealand Herald, Vicki Walker was fired from her position as financial controller at ProCare Health for sending "confrontational" e-mails that included words in red, bold, and worst of all, capital ...