The Internet has opened up a whole new on-line world for us to meet, chat and go where we've never been before. But just as in face-to-face communication, there are some rules of behavior that should be followed when online.. Imagine how you'd feel if you were in the other person's shoes. For anything you're about to send: ask yourself, "Would I say this to the person's face?" If the answer is no, rewrite and reread. Repeat the process till you feel sure that you'd feel comfortable saying the words to the person's face.

If someone in the chat room is rude to you, your instinct is to fire back in the same manner.. You should either ignore the person, or use your chat software to block their messages. If it was caused by a disagreement with another member, try to fix the situation by politely discussing it. Remember to respect the beliefs and opinions of others in the chat room.

 . Offer advice when asked by newcomers, as they may not be sure what to do or how to communicate. When someone makes a mistake whether it's a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer be kind about it. If it's a small mistake, you may not need to say anything. Even if you feel strongly about, think twice before saying anything. Having good manners yourself doesn't give you license to correct everyone else.. At the same time, if you find you are wrong be sure to correct yourself and apologize to those that you have offended.

 . The exception is that you know the person very well, and you are both comfortable with sharing personal information. Otherwise don't.