Page 191 - SREENARAYANAGURU OPEN UNIVERSITY

etiquette that we are supposed to follow, and or posts on social media can affect the mental
wearing a uniform is one of them. We are asked health of the person who falls victim to it. So,
to be punctual, to greet our teachers when they it is necessary to follow upright conduct on
come to class, and to behave properly with such platforms. Along with that, we have to
our friends and teachers. A particular way be aware of the safety measures available to us
of behaviour is expected from us not only in on online platforms. If we are getting bullied
school but also in different places like police or stalked, we are provided with the option to
stations, airports, banks or hospitals. Proper block and report the person who is engaged
conduct is essential in every place. Even at in such malpractices. On higher levels, com-
home, we do not behave the same when we plaints can be made to the cyber cell as well.
are alone and when there is a guest. We follow This way, our cyber safety can be ensured.
certain unwritten rules even at home. The
same is true for social media. We are expected There are numerous risks involved in using
to behave in certain ways while using social social media, one of which is the safety of your
media platforms. personal information. When you sign up for
any social media platform such as Facebook,
Try to recollect your experience when you Twitter, Instagram, or any other platform, you
first started using social media. Were you are required to agree to certain terms and con-
aware of its functioning or the way in which ditions of that particular application. By doing
you were supposed to behave on a social media so, they ensure the privacy of your personal
platform? Did somebody teach you about the information, which means that your informa-
things that should be kept in mind while using tion is secure with them and will not be shared
it? As a netizen, it is essential for you to be with a third party unless you choose to do so.
aware of the appropriate way in which you This is the upright conduct expected from
should use social media. Let us discuss them the owners of these various applications. It is
in detail here. therefore our responsibility to exercise caution
when providing any type of information on any
When we talk to someone in person, we try social media platform. These platforms pro-
to keep certain things in mind, like not being vide us with options to keep our data safe. On
offensive or hurtful, keeping our tone polite, the one hand, we can share things in public
and not being rude. These are the manners that mode, where anyone can access it. On the other
we have learned and developed as we grew up. hand, we can ensure that only our friends or
Similarly, on social media platforms, we have followers have access to our posts. In the age
to use language in such a way that it is not of the internet, privacy has become a precious
offensive or hurtful to someone’s feelings. We commodity, and we should be clear about the
have to be polite and not rude, not only offline information that should be made available on
but online too. No matter what online platform a social media platform. It is also our respon-
we are on, be it a personal chat or a public com- sibility to keep our login credentials for any of
ment, we have to think of the emotional impact our social media accounts secure with us.
it can have on the people who read or see it.
With people, online or offline, we should inter- In addition to safeguarding our information,
act with respect. If we ensure polite behaviour we must also be concerned about the data of
on different online platforms, we can avoid others. We are all too familiar with fake news
cyber-crimes like cyber-bullying, harassment, that spreads like wildfire on social media. This
stalking, etc. Abusive comments or messages can be avoided if we remain vigilant while

SGOU - FYUGP - SLM - English for Communication 185