In pithy sentences the 101 dos and don'ts for the digital world provide trenchant guidance.
Times used to be simpler: a man was a gentleman, a woman was a lady. But today?
Today the kind of questions we face include "Is it okay if I ignore a 'friend request' on Facebook?", "Is it impolite to put my cell phone on the table in the restaurant?" or "How long can I use the free WiFi in the café without ordering anything?".
The digital lifestyle is changing our lives and our behavior. So who can we turn to for advice on questions concerning "Etiquette 2.0"?
Their pithy sentences provide trenchant guidance such as
- Only R2D2 is allowed to end a relationship digitally.
- Only upload images of which your mother would approve.
- Never overestimate your digital friends. Being friends on a social network doesn't mean you are friends in real life.
- Do not google your date before the first rendezvous - keep the magic for a few more days.
- A quick phone call can circumvent the need for a frustrating and interminable e-mail exchange.
The digital lifestyle recommendations are not just restricted to e-mails that remain unanswered for days on end, or to people making calls on their cell phones on buses or trains as if there was nobody else there. The eEtiquette categories include all communications channels that are relevant today, such as text messages, e-mail, phone, social networks, videoconferences, blogs, chats, etc.
The eEtiquette was driven by the team from the Creation Center at the Telekom Laboratories. To develop the 101 dos and don'ts it took several months of intensive research work and numerous workshops with participants (scientist as well as normal users) from more than 12 countries.
