Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication organized the third of its Communication Training Seminars for Society, aiming to share its scientific knowledge with the community. Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay, Dean of the Faculty of Communication, defined the fundamental rule valid in the digital world as: “We should not say anything in the digital environment that we cannot say face-to-face.” Prof. Dr. Atalay stated, “Anonymity, physical distance, and the idea of ‘we won’t meet anyway’ can push individuals to act more aggressively or destructively. This situation leads to the weakening of moral and social ‘brakes’ internalized in real life within the digital environment.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication organized the third of its Communication Training Seminars for Society, implemented within the framework of its social contribution and science communication mission. The seminar, held online under the title “Netiquette: Rules of Conduct in the Digital World – Be Aware, Make a Difference,” attracted significant interest.
Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay, Dean of the Faculty of Communication, served as a speaker at the seminar. Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that netiquette should be seen as a mechanism for understanding the functioning of social media, adding, “Values such as courtesy, empathy, and responsibility often do not arise spontaneously in digital environments; they emerge as ethical practices that must be consciously learned and maintained. Therefore, the more these concepts are discussed and awareness increases in digital communication, the more positive online experiences become.”
From Traditional Media to the Digital World
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that before digital technologies, societies had a media order dominated by traditional mass communication tools such as newspapers, radio, and television. “Today, however, websites, blogs, forums, and social media platforms have permeated almost every area of social life. Turkey is also among the countries that intensely use social media. Platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram stand out as digital spaces where individuals can communicate synchronously or asynchronously, express themselves, and promote products and services. With the digital age, many interactions that took place in physical environments have moved to virtual environments,” she said.
Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay noted that the time spent in the virtual world has significantly increased, especially in the post-pandemic period. “Meetings, training sessions, and discussions can be held for long hours in the digital environment with people who are rarely or never met physically. This situation causes behaviors exhibited in virtual environments to become as important as face-to-face communication,” she stated.
Knowing and Applying Netiquette Rules is No Longer a Choice, but a Necessity
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that “Netiquette” is not limited to merely being polite, adding, “Allowing others to speak freely and express themselves is also a fundamental condition for a democratic communication environment.”
Prof. Dr. Atalay pointed out that lynching culture is becoming increasingly widespread, especially on some social media platforms. “Silencing the speaker has almost become a social media sport. This situation creates both an impolite and an anti-democratic environment. When we say netiquette, we can define it simply as internet etiquette, rules of conduct, rules of courtesy. Netiquette, which has been in the literature for approximately 20–25 years, is a research topic particularly in the fields of communication, education, and psychology. In the digital world, knowing and applying netiquette rules is no longer a choice but a necessity for healthier, more respectful, and democratic communication,” she said.
These Rules are Very Important for Children and Young People
Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay pointed out that these rules are even more important for children and young people compared to adults, stating, “Because young people are among the groups who spend the most time on digital platforms. Research in psychology points to the ‘Online Disinhibition Effect.’ This concept, introduced by American psychologist John Suler, states that people can express things in the digital environment much more comfortably than they would ever say in face-to-face communication.”
Anonymity Can Lead to More Aggressive Behavior
Prof. Dr. Atalay explained that being behind a screen gives a person a sense of invisibility, and not being able to see the other person’s facial expressions and emotional reactions weakens empathy. “Anonymity, physical distance, and the idea of ‘we won’t meet anyway’ can push individuals to act more aggressively or destructively. This situation leads to the weakening of moral and social ‘brakes’ internalized in real life within the digital environment. Many users can perceive what happens on the internet as a separate sphere from real life,” she said.
What Happens on the Internet Doesn't Stay on the Internet
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that individuals today are evaluated not only by their behaviors in physical life but also by their shares in the digital environment, and continued:
“It is now a common practice for human resources departments to examine candidates’ social media accounts and digital footprints before inviting them for interviews. An inappropriate post, a photo, or an expression can cause a person to lose job opportunities. Similarly, consumers look at internet reviews before purchasing a product or service. This situation shows how important digital reputation has become for both individuals and institutions. Due to the searchability feature, everyone is responsible for their presence and shares in the digital world.”
Digital Content Can Reappear Even Years Later
Prof. Dr. Atalay also drew attention to the structural features of new media to understand the importance of netiquette. “Researcher Danah Boyd lists four basic characteristics of new media: persistence, searchability, replicability, and invisible audiences. Digital content is permanent; it can reappear even years later. Thanks to searchability, past posts about individuals and institutions can be easily accessed. Content can be copied verbatim and shared repeatedly, and posts can be seen by a wide audience whose identity is not fully known. This situation leads to the user losing control over every piece of shared content,” she said.
Editorial Control is Extremely Limited on Social Media
Prof. Dr. Atalay also drew attention to the “context collapse” experienced on social media, stating, “Individuals who assume different roles in different environments in physical life find it difficult to determine what they can and cannot say when all these contexts merge in one place on social media. Family, work colleagues, friends, and acquaintances all meet in the same digital space. Although platforms offer various tools to reduce this confusion, netiquette awareness still holds great importance. This is because social media relies on user-generated content, and editorial control is extremely limited. Alongside useful and positive content, insults, bullying, and aggressive language can also spread rapidly for this reason. Research shows that individuals with high netiquette awareness—especially young people—are less exposed to cyberbullying and experience fewer negative experiences in digital environments,” she said.
Etiquette of the Digital World
Prof. Dr. Atalay noted that netiquette refers to the norms of the digital world, stating, “Just as in real life, chaos becomes inevitable in digital environments without rules. To exist on social media platforms, establish healthy dialogues, and build a positive digital identity, these rules must be known and internalized. Netiquette stands out as the new etiquette guide for the digital age.”
Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay reminded that internet usage worldwide is approaching 70%, emphasizing that as the time spent in digital environments increases, rules of courtesy and conduct have become more critical than ever.
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated, “People now meet many of their needs, from education to work, from socializing to entertainment, through digital platforms. However, a lack of awareness regarding netiquette, or digital etiquette rules, can lead to shares that both damage individuals’ reputations and may cause regret in the future.” She noted that this issue is vital, especially for children and young people.
Digital Footprint is Determinative for Everyone
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that the concept of a digital footprint is now determinative not only for institutions but also for individuals, adding that a digital footprint is the sum of all traceable behaviors of an individual in the online environment, and these footprints are divided into passive and active.
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that passive digital footprints consist of often uncontrollable data such as IP address, location information, cookies, and search history, while emphasizing that active digital footprints are the shares, comments, likes, photos, and videos consciously left by an individual.
Algorithms Know Us Too
Prof. Dr. Atalay noted that digital footprints are analyzed not only by other users but also by algorithms, stating that personal profiles are created based on these footprints, and content and advertisements are presented accordingly. Prof. Dr. Atalay pointed out that algorithms can know individuals closely even with a limited number of likes, adding that this situation increases digital transparency.
Prof. Dr. Atalay reminded that prestigious universities examine social media accounts during student admission processes, companies during recruitments, and some countries during visa applications, pointing out that there are candidates who are eliminated due to past shares.
Prof. Dr. Atalay emphasized the transition from the anonymous chat rooms of the 1990s to a social media culture that uses real names and photos, stating that every action taken in digital environments today is directly associated with the individual. Prof. Dr. Atalay said, “The basic rule should be: ‘We should not say anything in the digital environment that we cannot shout out on a crowded street.’”
Netiquette is Not Limited to Social Media Only
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that netiquette also covers email, forums, blogs, social media, and mobile phone usage, emphasizing that speaking loudly on mobile phones in public spaces is also a matter of etiquette.
Prof. Dr. Atalay also touched upon the concept of “sociotelism,” which has emerged in recent years, stating that focusing on the phone during face-to-face communication weakens family and social relationships.
Prof. Dr. Atalay explained that among the behaviors users find most disturbing in online communication, according to research, are spam emails, unauthorized tagging, inappropriate messages in WhatsApp groups, messages written entirely in capital letters, unnecessary use of “reply all,” and overly informal forms of address. She also noted that writing and communication norms can vary across different generations.
Basic Rules for Email Writing
Prof. Dr. Atalay also drew attention to basic netiquette rules for email writing, especially for young people, reminding that formal correspondence should begin with an appropriate salutation, the subject line should be filled, the message should be simple and clear, text should always be written if an attachment is sent, and job applications should not be made with email addresses using nicknames.
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that photos shared on social media can be evaluated out of context, adding that private information, disturbing images, and photos reflecting others’ difficult moments should not be shared.
Prof. Dr. Atalay defined the fundamental rule valid in the digital world as: “We should not say anything in the digital environment that we cannot say face-to-face.”
Google Forgets Nothing
Prof. Dr. Gül Esra Atalay pointed out that internet and social media shares have become a part of an individual’s identity, stating, “We must keep in mind that Google forgets nothing. Our words form our identity, and every expression we use is directly associated with us.”
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that being polite in the digital environment, just as in real life, should be a fundamental principle, adding that words that cannot be said loudly or to someone’s face should also not be shared via WhatsApp or social media.
Digital Language Weakens Language Skills
Prof. Dr. Atalay stated that there has been a significant change in language use with social media, noting that vocabulary is increasingly narrowing and spelling rules are neglected. Prof. Dr. Atalay emphasized the importance of paying attention to the correct use of Turkish, adding that spelling errors should be avoided, the excessive use of abbreviations should be limited, and the foreign-heavy digital jargon becoming widespread among young people could weaken language skills.