Online Etiquette

Most of us spend hours interacting and browsing through social media and online content each day. Are you the same person when you interact online as you would in real life?

According to survey done with Secondary 1 and 3 students in early 2021, 32% and 29% respectively indicated that they adopt a different personality when they are online. What does that translate to one's well-being?

Let's watch a video to think deeper into this issue.

Social media apps such as Tik Tok, Instagram and Discord have created opportunities for individuals to express themselves in a different persona than they are in real life. Although this has given some individuals a platform to share their lives and feelings with others in ways they may not be comfortable to do so in real life (e.g. for introverts who tend not to speak up in public), it can also create many potential issues that can do harm to themselves, or to others. Some of these includes:

hiding their true feelings and emotions while trying to please the people around them; and
inciting extreme thoughts in others through biased and unregulated opinions on issues.

Internet Trolls and how to deal with them

Trolls are netizens who intentionally create media content (can be in the form of text or video/graphics) in order to annoy or offend others. They also tend to be attention seekers. Most of them remain anonymous and although their actions can be deemed as acts of mischief, they are not immune to prosecution by the law should they breach them, such as the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) in Singapore.

Under the Act, an offender can be fined up to $5,000 and/or jailed up to 6 months. Click here to read the details of the Act.

So, how can we observe good online etiquette? We shall refer back to MOE's Cyber Wellness Framework as a guide. Recall this diagram?

Tips for a better experience online

When you are online:

Be mindful. Not everyone has to agree with your opinions and there is no need to impose your beliefs and values unto others. Understand that people are inheritably wired differently.
Be objective. Use facts and accurate information from official sources. Fact-check before you post and remind yourself not to let your personal judgement alter the meaning behind the messages.
Be kind. Respect others' opinions and agree to disagree. Share what you know, and be ready to accept what others think or feel.

When you encounter unpleasant experiences online, it is good to disconnect and disengage by staying away for a period of time. Remember - you cannot control what or how others react to your opinion online, but you can control how you react to them.

"Don't do unto others what you don't want done unto you." - Confucius

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