The role of netiquette in creating safe environments that help combat digital bullying

29 Apr. (Portaltic/EP) –

Access to technologies such as the Internet or the ‘smartphone’ have extended bullying inside the home, through social networks and messaging services, a context in which the so-called netiquette or netiquette are presented as a resource to regulate online behavior to help recognize bullying and prevent our children from becoming bullies.

Bullying on the Internet affects seven out of ten children in Spainaccording to a study by the international NGO ‘Bullying Without Borders’, sometimes from his schoolmates and in other cases, of strangers who take advantage of the anonymity of the Internet and the vulnerability of the little ones to attack them.

From the Spanish technology firm SPC they defend that education is necessary to reduce digital bullyingboth so that minors know how to identify when they are being abused, and so that they are not the ones who harass other people.

In addition, you can use netiquettea set of rules of conduct on the net that they remember from SPC on the occasion of the celebration on May 2 of the Day against School Bullying.

Specifically, netiquette is a series of digital social norms that seek to regulate the behavior of people on the Internet to create safe and respectful environments. Since the digital environment has its own codes, netiquette helps people’s behavior in digital environments be similar to the real world where the lines that separate what is right from what is wrong are usually clearer.

For example, just as it is not good to speak loudly, on the Internet it is recommended not to write a text in all capital letters, because the same effect is transmitted as if you were shouting. It is also advised don’t use sarcasmsince some words or phrases could be misinterpreted, since you cannot hear the interlocutor.

Other netiquettes invite protect the privacy of third parties, not disseminating messages or documents that have been sent to us as part of a conversation, as well as not sharing personal information through social networks. Bullies use private information for malicious purposes, such as online phishing, blackmail, and extortion through threats to post sensitive data or outright bullying.

There are also netiquettes who bet on respect other people’s timefor example, avoiding constantly sending messages or demanding that they answer us instantly, while others recommend use verified sources when informing us and sharing that information with others.

As you remember from SPC, in a digitized society, ‘smart’ technology offers endless possibilities for both young people and adults. Therefore, it is essential that we know how to use these tools responsiblyso that all users are safe using technology.