Online etiquette: The ultimate guide to social media manners

网络礼仪：社交媒体礼仪的终极指南

Here’s a status update that’s hard to ignore: Social networks and online apps are suddenly among today’s most popular communications tools, with over 1.23 billion people now logging in daily to connect with friends, family, and colleagues on Facebook alone.

如今有一股难以忽视的新趋势，那就是社交网络和在线应用成为相当受欢迎的通信工具，每天有超过12.3亿人用Facebook与朋友，家人和同事联系。

Which rules of conduct should you be following when connecting and communicating with others online, or reaching out regarding potential business opportunities via social networks? As we discovered while researching new book Netiquette Essentials: New Rules for Minding Your Manners in an Online World, the answers may surprise you:

在与他人联系和沟通时，或通过社交网络了解潜在的商业机会时，您应该遵循哪些行为规范？我们研究新书《网络礼仪：网络世界中您应该遵守的礼仪规则》时发现那些规则可能会让您惊讶：

? Social networks may seem like informal settings, but they should be treated with the same respect as any public place of business. Professionalism is imperative — if you wouldn’t say it in a social or work setting, don’t say it online, in the most public of forums.

社交网络可能看起来像是非正式的环境，但我们应当像对待公共商业场所那样尊重社交网络。专业性是必须的——如果您在社交或工作环境中不会谈论某个话题，那么也请不要在网上，或是公开论坛上谈论它。

? Be advised that conversational nuances and subtle shifts in tone or personality may be lost in the translation to digital, and that individual users may interpret messages differently: Consider how posts will be read and perceived before sending. Note to outspoken individuals: Sharing extremely-opinionated viewpoints (e.g. political leanings or thoughts on controversial topics) can be a lightning rod online. Think twice before liking supporting status updates or posting such opinions, which can incite and aggravate others (and live on in perpetuity).

请注意，日常对话中的细微差别，或者语调或个性细微的调整在转化为书面语时可能会丢失，不同的人对于信息可能有不一样的解读：发送信息前请仔细考虑阅读者将怎样解读，看待它。说话直接的人需注意：分享非常主观、偏见的观点（例如政治倾向较强，或个人对争议性较强话题的感想）可能在网络中招来争议或批评。因此，点赞这类更新状态或发布此类意见前，需要三思而行，因为这些信息可能煽动他人或加剧他人想法。

? Note that images can easily be taken out of context online as well: Posting embarrassing, revealing or negative photos of yourself should be avoided at all costs. Remember: Pictures you share may be taken at face value, and/or viewed as representative of your character – not to mention live on forever on the Internet. What seems cute in high school or college may not seem quite so endearing to potential employers.

请注意，（人们）可能会脱离上下文解读图片，因此必须全力避免上传难堪的，自我暴露性的，负面消极的个人照片。记住：别人可能从您分享的照片去判断您，或将照片看做您性格的代表——更不用说照片会一直存在于互联网上。您大学时候认为可爱的照片可能在潜在雇主看来并不是那么招人喜欢。

? Before connecting with your colleagues on social networks, consider if you’d still want to be connected to them if they weren’t your coworkers, i.e. if you ever leave the position. Prior to requesting or accepting connections from colleagues, think about material you’re apt to share as well – is it appropriate for their consumption?

在社交网络上和同事联系之前，请仔细考虑如果他们不是您的同事了，比如您离职之后，是否还想和他们保持联系。 在发送或者接受好友申请时，同时也要想一想您要分享的内容——这些内容是否也适合他们阅读？

? Avoid posting on social networks unless you have a tight grasp over your privacy settings, and are completely comfortable with the group of online friends that your updates will be shared with. Also note that anything shared online, although designated as private and confidential, has the possibility to become public at any time – if it’s best left unsaid, don’t say it.

除非您对于隐私设置有很强的把握，或者对于分享信息的社交圈里的朋友很放心，否则不要在社交网络上传信息。还要记住尽管有些内容被设定为私人的、机密的信息，也可能被随时公开——如果有些信息最好不要说，那么就别说了。

? Understand that various online forums (social networks, blogs, digital communities) have their own rules of conduct, social norms and methods of interaction. Before utilizing one, take a moment to step back and observe how interactions take place, so you can discern appropriate rules of posting, sharing and behavior.

要明白各种在线论坛（社交网络，博客，数字社区）都有相应的行为准则，社交规范和互动方法。 在使用之前，花一点时间回顾并观察下这里社群是如何互动的，这样可以分辨出恰当的方式来发布、共享信息，进行互动。

? Relationship or personal drama is best kept private. If you cannot resist the urge to share, do so sparingly – and in the most vague, unspecific terms possible – for the sake of involved parties, or friends uninterested or unwilling to participate in the situation.

情感关系或个人恋爱情况最好保密。如果您忍不住分享的冲动，那么要小心谨慎。要知道关系中涉及的其他人，或者有些朋友不想或者不愿意参与其中，因此表达应以含糊的，非具体的话语为主。

? With rare exceptions, if a prospective online contact wanted to be pitched, you would already have their email address – contacting them out of the blue on social networks with a direct sales pitch is inappropriate.

除非特殊情况，一般来说如果您想要联系某个潜在联系人，您会有他们的电邮地址，如果突然在社交网络上直接向他们推销是不合适的。

? Under no circumstances should you pitch a product, service, or prospective business opportunity on someone’s public wall or profile. Some users will, however, provide professional contact information on their public profile – using it to contact them may be acceptable in some cases, though reaching out via any personal contact details is not.

在任何情况下，您都不能在别人公共页面直接推销产品，服务或者潜在商业机会。有一些用户可能在其公共页面留下了工作联系方式，在一些情况下通过工作联系方式联系他们是可被接受的，但是通过个人联系方式联系则不太合适。

? Should you choose to email, keep communications short, and be sure to quickly get to the point, including a general summary and any key questions or queries in the first couple lines. Also be sure to include your name and contact information in all communications, and be respectful with e-mail and message signatures.

如果您选择电子邮件沟通，那么表达要言简意赅，内容要包括简短的梗概，并在开头几行提出关键问题或询问问题。并且要在电邮中提到您的名字和联系方式，邮件内容和签名要显得尊重对方。

? Bear in mind that more employers and job recruiters are turning to online search engines to research prospective partners and hires – be aware of the results that come up, including potentially damaging or embarrassing content and links. It will help you in your efforts to build and maintain a positive online reputation to post helpful, high-quality content that’s of service to others, and do so frequently.

请记住，大多数雇主和招聘人员会用搜索引擎来了解潜在合作伙伴和员工，所以您要注意网页上关于自己的内容，包括潜在的损害形象的尴尬内容和链接。多上传一些有益的，高质量的，对他人有用的内容有利于帮您建立并维持正面的形象。

Online etiquette: The ultimate guide to social media manners

网络礼仪：社交媒体礼仪的终极指南

Here’s a status update that’s hard to ignore: Social networks and online apps are suddenly among today’s most popular communications tools, with over 1.23 billion people now logging in daily to connect with friends, family, and colleagues on Facebook alone.

如今有一股难以忽视的新趋势，那就是社交网络和在线应用成为相当受欢迎的通信工具，每天有超过12.3亿人用Facebook与朋友，家人和同事联系。

Which rules of conduct should you be following when connecting and communicating with others online, or reaching out regarding potential business opportunities via social networks? As we discovered while researching new book Netiquette Essentials: New Rules for Minding Your Manners in an Online World, the answers may surprise you:

在与他人联系和沟通时，或通过社交网络了解潜在的商业机会时，您应该遵循哪些行为规范？我们研究新书《网络礼仪：网络世界中您应该遵守的礼仪规则》时发现那些规则可能会让您惊讶：

? Social networks may seem like informal settings, but they should be treated with the same respect as any public place of business. Professionalism is imperative — if you wouldn’t say it in a social or work setting, don’t say it online, in the most public of forums.

社交网络可能看起来像是非正式的环境，但我们应当像对待公共商业场所那样尊重社交网络。专业性是必须的——如果您在社交或工作环境中不会谈论某个话题，那么也请不要在网上，或是公开论坛上谈论它。

? Be advised that conversational nuances and subtle shifts in tone or personality may be lost in the translation to digital, and that individual users may interpret messages differently: Consider how posts will be read and perceived before sending. Note to outspoken individuals: Sharing extremely-opinionated viewpoints (e.g. political leanings or thoughts on controversial topics) can be a lightning rod online. Think twice before liking supporting status updates or posting such opinions, which can incite and aggravate others (and live on in perpetuity).

请注意，日常对话中的细微差别，或者语调或个性细微的调整在转化为书面语时可能会丢失，不同的人对于信息可能有不一样的解读：发送信息前请仔细考虑阅读者将怎样解读，看待它。说话直接的人需注意：分享非常主观、偏见的观点（例如政治倾向较强，或个人对争议性较强话题的感想）可能在网络中招来争议或批评。因此，点赞这类更新状态或发布此类意见前，需要三思而行，因为这些信息可能煽动他人或加剧他人想法。

? Note that images can easily be taken out of context online as well: Posting embarrassing, revealing or negative photos of yourself should be avoided at all costs. Remember: Pictures you share may be taken at face value, and/or viewed as representative of your character – not to mention live on forever on the Internet. What seems cute in high school or college may not seem quite so endearing to potential employers.

请注意，（人们）可能会脱离上下文解读图片，因此必须全力避免上传难堪的，自我暴露性的，负面消极的个人照片。记住：别人可能从您分享的照片去判断您，或将照片看做您性格的代表——更不用说照片会一直存在于互联网上。您大学时候认为可爱的照片可能在潜在雇主看来并不是那么招人喜欢。

? Before connecting with your colleagues on social networks, consider if you’d still want to be connected to them if they weren’t your coworkers, i.e. if you ever leave the position. Prior to requesting or accepting connections from colleagues, think about material you’re apt to share as well – is it appropriate for their consumption?

在社交网络上和同事联系之前，请仔细考虑如果他们不是您的同事了，比如您离职之后，是否还想和他们保持联系。 在发送或者接受好友申请时，同时也要想一想您要分享的内容——这些内容是否也适合他们阅读？

? Avoid posting on social networks unless you have a tight grasp over your privacy settings, and are completely comfortable with the group of online friends that your updates will be shared with. Also note that anything shared online, although designated as private and confidential, has the possibility to become public at any time – if it’s best left unsaid, don’t say it.

除非您对于隐私设置有很强的把握，或者对于分享信息的社交圈里的朋友很放心，否则不要在社交网络上传信息。还要记住尽管有些内容被设定为私人的、机密的信息，也可能被随时公开——如果有些信息最好不要说，那么就别说了。

? Understand that various online forums (social networks, blogs, digital communities) have their own rules of conduct, social norms and methods of interaction. Before utilizing one, take a moment to step back and observe how interactions take place, so you can discern appropriate rules of posting, sharing and behavior.

要明白各种在线论坛（社交网络，博客，数字社区）都有相应的行为准则，社交规范和互动方法。 在使用之前，花一点时间回顾并观察下这里社群是如何互动的，这样可以分辨出恰当的方式来发布、共享信息，进行互动。

? Relationship or personal drama is best kept private. If you cannot resist the urge to share, do so sparingly – and in the most vague, unspecific terms possible – for the sake of involved parties, or friends uninterested or unwilling to participate in the situation.

情感关系或个人恋爱情况最好保密。如果您忍不住分享的冲动，那么要小心谨慎。要知道关系中涉及的其他人，或者有些朋友不想或者不愿意参与其中，因此表达应以含糊的，非具体的话语为主。

? With rare exceptions, if a prospective online contact wanted to be pitched, you would already have their email address – contacting them out of the blue on social networks with a direct sales pitch is inappropriate.

除非特殊情况，一般来说如果您想要联系某个潜在联系人，您会有他们的电邮地址，如果突然在社交网络上直接向他们推销是不合适的。

? Under no circumstances should you pitch a product, service, or prospective business opportunity on someone’s public wall or profile. Some users will, however, provide professional contact information on their public profile – using it to contact them may be acceptable in some cases, though reaching out via any personal contact details is not.

在任何情况下，您都不能在别人公共页面直接推销产品，服务或者潜在商业机会。有一些用户可能在其公共页面留下了工作联系方式，在一些情况下通过工作联系方式联系他们是可被接受的，但是通过个人联系方式联系则不太合适。

? Should you choose to email, keep communications short, and be sure to quickly get to the point, including a general summary and any key questions or queries in the first couple lines. Also be sure to include your name and contact information in all communications, and be respectful with e-mail and message signatures.

如果您选择电子邮件沟通，那么表达要言简意赅，内容要包括简短的梗概，并在开头几行提出关键问题或询问问题。并且要在电邮中提到您的名字和联系方式，邮件内容和签名要显得尊重对方。

? Bear in mind that more employers and job recruiters are turning to online search engines to research prospective partners and hires – be aware of the results that come up, including potentially damaging or embarrassing content and links. It will help you in your efforts to build and maintain a positive online reputation to post helpful, high-quality content that’s of service to others, and do so frequently.

请记住，大多数雇主和招聘人员会用搜索引擎来了解潜在合作伙伴和员工，所以您要注意网页上关于自己的内容，包括潜在的损害形象的尴尬内容和链接。多上传一些有益的，高质量的，对他人有用的内容有利于帮您建立并维持正面的形象。