13 Holy Cybercitizen Laws

Everyone needs to teach and follow cybercitizen laws the same way we follow rules in real society. Here, I listed the basic ‘real’ laws and made the equivalent for cyberspace. Please forward along (but thou shalt not spam) to anyone who you think needs a basic lesson in netiquette.

1. Thou shalt not steal

    Pay for your music and movies instead of downloading illegally.

2. Always wear clothes

    Do not post naked pictures or videos of yourself online, as this is the same as walking down the street naked…in front of all of your friends and family…and your whole town…and the next town over…and a bunch of people in New Zealand…in a parade.

3. Thou shalt not inflict harm upon others

    Do not cyberbully or attack others through IM, online chat forums, virtual bulletin boards, emails

4. Thou shalt not not destroy public or other’s private property

    Do not graffiti on wiki pages, do not deface or hack into another person’s website, do not write inappropriate things in online forums.

5. Thou shalt treat others with respect

    Do not slander or spread gossip about other Internet users

6. Beware of strangers

    Never talk to random people on social networks, IM, online forums or virtual worlds

7. Though shalt not litter

    Do not Spam people…this includes bad chain letters

8. If you see litter put it in the trash

    Never open Spam, unknown messages or mail

9. Never let strangers into your home

    Never give out private information about your identity, never videochat with someone you do not know

10. Thou shalt pay taxes

    Pay for your wireless if required

11. If you see something suspicious tell an adult

    If you see inappropriate words, are contacted by a stranger or see someone being cyberbullied, tell your parents or report it to the website administrators.

12. Anyone who wants to get into your house can break down a locked door…so get an alarm system

    Do not trust all privacy settings, if you are not comfortable wit everyone in the world seeing something you are about to post, DO NOT PUT IT ONLINE (…that one was a bit of a stretch, but you see why it is still important.)

13. Your bank pin number is private

    Do not give out your passwords no matter how much you trust them!

This article is by Vanessa Van Petten at Radical Parenting.com, a parenting website written by kids so parents can get a real view into the minds of teens!

13 Holy Cybercitizen Laws Vanessa Van Petten Everyone needs to teach and follow cybercitizen laws the same way we follow rules in real society. Here, I listed the basic ‘real’ laws and made the equivalent for cyberspace. Please forward along (but thou shalt not spam) to anyone who you think needs a basic lesson in netiquette. 1. Thou shalt not steal Pay for your music and movies instead of downloading illegally. 2. Always wear clothes Do not post naked pictures or videos of yourself online, as this is the same as walking down the street naked…in front of all of your friends and family…and your whole town…and the next town over…and a bunch of people in New Zealand…in a parade. 3. Thou shalt not inflict harm upon others Do not cyberbully or attack others through IM, online chat forums, virtual bulletin boards, emails 4. Thou shalt not not destroy public or other’s private property Do not graffiti on wiki pages, do not deface or hack into another person’s website, do not write inappropriate things in online forums. 5. Thou shalt treat others with respect Do not slander or spread gossip about other Internet users 6. Beware of strangers Never talk to random people on social networks, IM, online forums or virtual worlds 7. Though shalt not litter Do not Spam people…this includes bad chain letters 8. If you see litter put it in the trash Never open Spam, unknown messages or mail 9. Never let strangers into your home Never give out private information about your identity, never videochat with someone you do not know 10. Thou shalt pay taxes Pay for your wireless if required 11. If you see something suspicious tell an adult If you see inappropriate words, are contacted by a stranger or see someone being cyberbullied, tell your parents or report it to the website administrators. 12. Anyone who wants to get into your house can break down a locked door…so get an alarm system Do not trust all privacy settings, if you are not comfortable wit everyone in the world seeing something you are about to post, DO NOT PUT IT ONLINE (…that one was a bit of a stretch, but you see why it is still important.) 13. Your bank pin number is private Do not give out your passwords no matter how much you trust them! This article is by Vanessa Van Petten at Radical Parenting.com, a parenting website written by kids so parents can get a real view into the minds of teens! Image © Bora Ucak \| Dreamstime.com <strong> © <a href='http://www.dreamstime.com/Khz_info'>Bora Ucak</a> \| <a href='http://www.dreamstime.com/'>Dreamstime.com</a></strong>
About the Author Vanessa Van Petten Vanessa Van Petten was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, GA with a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese and Political Science, but her true passion is helping teens and parents. She hopes to open up new lines of communication between teens and parents throug

Vanessa Van Petten

About the Author

Vanessa Van Petten