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Introduction
Well, look at you. We’re proud of you for taking steps to become a responsible citizen online by learning about digital etiquette, also called netiquette. You wouldn’t be reading an actual printed book unless you wanted to sit in a comfortable chair, set your favorite beverage on the table next to you, and soak it all in.
We have a lot of good stuff to share with you to make you a better person online — and you may be surprised that you’ll see how to be a better human being here in real life. If you read this entire book, your mindset will change, and others’ perceptions of you will change for the better.
About This Book
The purpose of Digital Etiquette For Dummies is to help you communicate effectively online. The number of pages in this book has tipped you off that doing so is easier said than done. After all, we can just say that you have to be nice to people, but there’s a lot to unpack in that simple concept.
It's not just behaviors that you need to know about and refine — you also need to know about laws governing online behavior, because the wild west approach to communicating on the Internet started to disappear decades ago. That’s not just true of spam (a friendly reminder that this kind of spam has nothing to do with the processed meat you can buy) but also of data privacy.
So we start by defining etiquette in the digital age. We talk about spam and privacy laws not just in the United States as a whole but also in individual states as well as specific countries and regions. And we talk about communicating effectively — no matter your age and no matter what forum (including social media posts and groups, virtual meetings, livestreams, and phone conversations).
Foolish Assumptions
When writing this book, we assumed that at least one of the following statements describes you:
You are a human being who wants to better connect with fellow human beings.
You have a business and you want to communicate more effectively with current and prospective customers.
You are committed to devoting time and energy to make yourself a better communicator.
If these assumptions are correct, this is the right book for you! We’re confident that the tactics and information here can help you achieve your goals.
Icons Used in This Book
To make things easier and ensure that you don’t miss important details, we have made use of various icons throughout this book. Here’s what the different icons look like and mean:
Beyond the Book
In addition to what you’re reading right now, this book comes with a free, access-anywhere Cheat Sheet that provides a handy list of digital etiquette rules as well as strategies for navigating the Internet with aplomb. To view the Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type Digital Etiquette For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.
Where to Go from Here
The first three chapters in Part 1 introduce you to digital
