Chatiquette
Chatiquette—(n) A combining form of chat and etiquette. Hypothetical culturally derived standards of behavior in selected circumstances while chatting on line.
Online chat is a relatively new form of human contact. It offers anonymity if one so chooses to the extent that the chatters know each other only by typed text; no face, no voice. Under such impersonal circumstances do chatters owe each other any of the proprieties culturally accepted as polite for casual in person contact?
I don’t have answers. And I do not hold myself out as an arbiter of chat behavior. The topic may be well hashed already in the past by chatters in earlier years.
I toss the question out and ask you to comment if you want.
Here are some chatiquette situations to prime the pump. What do you think is acceptable behavior in the examples that follow? Are there any “standards” that are or should be applicable?
Example One—A comes on line in private chat (pc) and sees B is also on line in pc. A wants to chat with B.
a. Should A simply say Hi?
b. Should A ask if B is occupied already?
c. Does it matter how A makes their presence known to B?
d. If B wants to chat with A but is already chatting with C what ought B to do? Chat with both? Let C know or not? Let A know or not? Should A. ask C., to conclude so they may now chat with B? Should A tell B, they will get back to B when done with C? Should we care?
Example Two. A and B are chatting. A’s phone signals an incoming call from C. How should A handle the phone call?
a. Let call from C., roll over to answering machine etc.?
b. Take call from C., saying nothing to B?
c. Tell B., got phone call, break off and talk to C?
d. Take call from C., tell B., have call also?
e. Take call from C., tell C., busy and will have to call back?
Anyway you get the idea, there are no right answers necessarily, just some brief thoughts. What do you think about Chatiquette in these and other circumstances you can think of?
Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in Senior Chatters
Well I think there is a lot there to think about .i try to treat people in chat as if they were here talking to me personally.i have talked to two people at once if I can handle it.not sure about saying I am busy it makes me feel bad when I say that.one issue I would like to raise is people leaving you in chat to go talk to others not saying bye just leaving you hanging in mid air wondering where you have gone.think in real life you would say bye so think it only right you do the same here on chat .good post oldbull food for thought xxxxx mac
after reading that i am confused. but i was before i read it lofty!
sorry mate i meant oldbull. told you i was confused hee hee!
ahahahahhahaah,jcb,you crack me up.
Me too.
lofty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,haahhaahahahhahaaha
I think Mac is right. The same courtesies you would normally expect in a face to face situation should be in evidence in cyber chat.
i also treat folks in chat as if im face to face…didnt know there was any other way lol!! and yep i often..as macathy says… am left hangin!! some will say ..oh good!!! lol!!! 🙂 🙂
Interesting questions, but I’m so new to chatting I can’t give an intelligent answer. Not only that, I don’t really know how to post etc. I’m looking forward to learning.
I rarely private chat now however when i did I got confused with a number of people wanting to chat at the same time, seemed rude to leave the one you were chatting to and rude to not respond to the others and sometimes what i typed would not go in the box and it looked like i didn’t bother to reply or there was a delay so peeps didn’t know if i was still there, so i prefer to private mail, or go to private room within the chat room if a member asks me to.
It’s all about common courtesy, and treating people the way you want to be treated. No one likes to be left hanging, not knowing what is happening at the other end of the conversation. Phones ring, folks come to the door, dinner’s ready, whatever; It only takes a second to excuse yourself with a ‘brb’.
I think the key is ‘never assume’, if you think you are being ignored, check first..as has been said we can get overlooked in a busy room and we too can overlook a comment directed at us especially when you are having more than one conversation. If you do ask again and you don’t get a response then talk so someone else. This doesn’t mean that you are being ignored but maybe they got called away from the computer or something… and yes treat people how you would like to be treated. 🙂
I agree with treating chatters the way you would if you were talking to them in person. Good blog OB xoxox