Chat Netiquette How to conduct yourself in the chatrooms By Sarmistha Purkayastha Where people come in, rules come in. And when it means people communicating from all over the world in virtual spaces, the rules need to be well defined. It's not surprising then, that operators of chatrooms follow city ordinances in room name, topic, and content. Violators of these rules are kicked out either temporarily or on a permanent basis. While some chatrooms have long lists stating their code of conduct, others follow some basic rules as follows: No obscene language No harassing other chatters No Flaming (insulting other chatters) No sexual conversation Also discouraged are defamatory, abusive, indecorous statements, and use of nicknames. There are additional rules for rooms with "4 Kids" designation. Here, no sexually suggestive conversations or innuendoes are allowed. Topics dealing with human sexuality are discussed in an educational environment only. Chat@TalkCity doesn't allow computer programs with viruses, worms, Trojan horses, etc. It also discourages off-topic comments, repeatedly hitting the Return key, and use of excessively long pop-ups. In most chatrooms, unauthorized commercial activities such as unsolicited advertisement and promotional materials are not allowed. Their idea is to promote communication in an atmosphere of mutual respect and care. The Chatter's Jargon Dictionary has a list of codes, abbreviations, and acronyms used by chatters. It also lists emoticons (symbols indicating emotions). Posted July 8, 1998 Copyright © 2003 TechTV Inc. All rights reserved. Use of Techtv.com is subject to certain terms and conditions. We respect your privacy.
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