Creating a Netiquette List

One great way to begin establishing guidelines with your kids about how to best use their technology is to sit down and come up with your own "netiquette" list.  Ask your child about the "do's" and the "dont's" of e-mailing, IMing and Facebooking. Use their list as a set of guidelines for technology use in your household.  Here is a copy of the list my family has come up with:

Kendall Family Netiquette List

•Don’t forward someone’s e-mail or IM without their permission

•Don’t respond to messages from a “cyberbully”

•Don’t share your password with anyone

•Don’t send messages when you are angry

•Don’t talk to strangers

•Don’t provide personal information

•Do think about what it would feel like to be the receiver of your messages

•Do use only language you would use in person (and only language you would use in front of your parents)

•Do take a break after 20-30 minutes of computer-time

•Do remember things are not private on the computer