Communication through digital media has exploded the last years. And as a consequence of this I believe we communicate a lot more than we did earlier. It seems like we have got social networks and digital channels were there are few limits and no one to judge you. We update our Face book status and we are Twittering all the time, night and day, at home and at work, with the computer and with our mobilphone, and we even communicate in these channels when we are supposed to do something else, like listening to a speech, working with our studies or being at a party. Not long ago there was a big case in our district when a politician updated his Face book profile while he was sitting in a conference. This became a big story in the news because the politician used Face book to comment and to satirize with the speaker. A lot of people reacted on his publication; they were shocked and called it harassment. You can read more about this case in the link below.
stjordal.adressa.no - Moen mobbet på Facebook
The reason I mention this case is because I want to focus on our limits or shall I say lack of limits when we communicate on the Internet; so called netiquette. And I want to focus on the role we’ve got as grownups and models for our children. I’m afraid this case is common in today’s society, and I’m afraid that the majority smiles when they read about this case, because this is the Face book jargon. But I react, and I disrespect this politician. He is not aware of his role as rolemodel and I don’t think he is aware of what he really communicates. In my opinion he shows that it’s ok in the social networks on the Internet to write whatever you want, whenever you want and to whom you want. Is that what we want??? NO!!! At least not what I want!
Fortunately the society reacted in this case and I believe the politician had to apologize to the speaker in the end; but I’m not sure he regret…
As an extension to this case I want to focus on harassment in our digital schoolyard. A research shows that half of our children have been harassed on the Internet and is harassing on the net. Frightening, in my opinion, and very sad for all the children who is exposed for this. In the following link you can read (in Norwegian) about some advices to those who have been harassed on the Internet.
http://www.online.no/sikkerhet/trygg_paa_nett/hvordan_haandtere_nettboller.jsp
My intension is to get my own children and my students to understand that these problems and challenges are resolved with respect and ethics. The limits for right and wrong are the same in real life as in internet world. We can only express in Internet what we also manage to express face to face!
Below you can watch a Youtube video showing us, with an homorous view, about the netiquette in social networks.
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