The evolving etiquette of social media.

December 9, 2019

Social media etiquette makes remembering when to use the little fork on the right - you know, the one next to the two knives and spoon (the oyster fork) - seem like a snap.

When social media platforms were gaining popularity, they offered an opportunity to reconnect and stay in touch with friends and family. During the past decade, many people joined platforms and built networks. They also started to engage in some unwelcome behaviors. Sometimes, social media is a place where people:

​​ "...can say mean things without showing their face, discriminate with little consequence, and spill details nobody truly wants to hear," explained Influence.co. "...it's vital for people to remember that social media is meant to bring people together and that our online behavior can quickly come between us."

To make it easier to understand which behaviors these are, the organization conducted a survey. The top digital don'ts included:

1. Bullying others in comments (91.1 percent) 2. Sharing discriminatory content (89.2 percent) 3. Posting fake news (88.8 percent) 4. Making passive-aggressive posts (78.5 percent) 5. Oversharing personal details (77.4 percent) 6. Complaining about a partner (75.8 percent) 7. Giving medical advice (48.3 percent) 8. Excessive hashtag use (33.8 percent)

It's also a poor idea to post content about another person without their permission. One in 10 respondents had ended a friendship over it. Finally, many people find it irritating when asked to delay eating a meal so a dinner companion can photograph it.

​ It's food for thought.