Reader Digest Version Global
Homepage >

New Technology and Phone Etiquette for Today

Do you know when you should put your cell phone away and stop texting? Are you schooled in the art of netiquette?

from Reader's Digest | Dec./Jan. 2012
Loading
←
© Hemera/Thinkstock
  • 1 of 14

1. If all you have to say in your e-mail reply is "Thanks!" refrain from sending it. You're just clogging an inbox.

  • 1 of 14
←
© Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock
  • 2 of 14

2. Long "@" conversations on Twitter bore other followers. Take them to Twitter's Direct Message (DM) or e-mail.

  • 2 of 14
←
© George Doyle/Stockbyte/Thinkstock
  • 3 of 14

3. Don't use cell phones in a waiting room, checkout line, restaurant, train, or (heaven forbid!) bathroom stall.

  • 3 of 14
←
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
  • 4 of 14

4. When talking to someone in person, don't glance down at your cell phone to see who's trying to reach you.

  • 4 of 14
←
© Goodshoot/Thinkstock
  • 5 of 14

5. When instant-messaging, always ask if now is a good time to chat.

  • 5 of 14
←
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
  • 6 of 14

6. It's OK to piggyback on a neighbor's free Wi-Fi as long as you don't hog it and do realize it's not secure.

  • 6 of 14
←
© Hemera/Thinkstock
  • 7 of 14

7. RSVP to legitimate online invitations promptly.

  • 7 of 14
←
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
  • 8 of 14

8. Things not to do when e-mailing: shout in all caps, use colored fonts or clip-art emoticons, attach large files, forward an e-mail unless appropriate.

  • 8 of 14
←
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
  • 9 of 14

9. You can e-mail thank-yous for party invitations and birthday gifts given in person as long as you send each of them separately. (No cc's.) For mailed gifts, letters of recommendation, and wedding presents, a written note is still preferable.

  • 9 of 14
←
© Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock
  • 10 of 14

10. Brag all you want on your Facebook page, but make sure you high-five your friends just as often.

  • 10 of 14
←
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
  • 11 of 14

11. Work e-mails can be sent anytime, but business texts should be restricted to one hour before the start of the workday to two hours after it ends, according to The Modern Gentleman.

  • 11 of 14
←
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
  • 12 of 14

12. If you still own an answering machine, make sure the outgoing message isn't annoying or twee.

  • 12 of 14
←
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
  • 13 of 14

13. It's OK (and even advisable) to follow your boss on Twitter, but you shouldn't try to friend him on Facebook. Friends implies equivalency; followers, not so.

  • 13 of 14

Your Comments

  • Brian Kamens

    Reader’s Digest – It is not okay to piggyback on a neighbor’s wifi just because it is not secure.  If you ammend and say with their permission, that would be alright.  However, just because someone leaves their lawn tractor outside and not secured, doesn’t give you the right to borrow it.

  • Brian Kamens

    Reader’s Digest – It is not okay to piggyback on a neighbor’s wifi just because it is not secure.  If you ammend and say with their permission, that would be alright.  However, just because someone leaves their lawn tractor outside and not secured, doesn’t give you the right to borrow it.

  • Anonymous

    Agree with the piggybacking. If you have their permission, then yes it’s ok to piggyback as long as you realize it’s not secure and you don’t hog it. Otherwise, in a growing number of cities around the US, it’s becoming illegal/crime/can be issued a fine.

    • Kati

      It’s not “Becoming Illegal” Unauthorized or fraudulent use of a network connection has been illegal in all states of the US since the passing of the Cybersecurity Act of 2009.

  • Emily Post

    Maybe you should climb the pole and tap into the neighbors phone, cable TV and electric power too.
    As long as you don’t hog it.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JWHGT6GSWIXBP552CYN5I44Q5Q Grey

    #2… Gods forbid any ADD riddled twit(ter users) be allowed to become -bored-. The horror, they might pick up a book, clean their room, step away from the computer or get a life or something. Perhaps they should limit each tweet to 50 characters and strictly control how many replies each separate one should be able to accrue or start offering a new service that’ll come to your house/school/Starbucks with a dart-gun full of Ritalin or something. Anything to keep those boring people from becoming bored! That could be a new platform for the election in 2016, constant electronic stimulation for all!

  • Nahte

    I can’t believe there is a discussion about whether or not it’s rude to piggyback off of an unsecure wireless connection. Regardless of whether or not it’s rude, you shouldn’t do it because it’s NOT SECURE.

  • BiggerBrother

    Nahte, perhaps the average person doesn’t understand what “not secure” means in terms of their own safety. For those of you that don’t know, an encrypted connection (i.e. a secure connection that requires a passcode) not only protects access, but also secures the connection so that hackers can’t (or have a harder time) sniffing your wireless traffic and stealing your facebook, twitter, bank account passwords, etc. Connecting to an open Wifi connection is never a good idea. The host of the connection could even be doing it so they can steal your info. It’s better to let your neighbor be aware of that they are unsecure and then when they secure it, you might ask if it’s ok to connect at which time they could give you the passcode.