Have you ever received a hurtful or insensitive response or comment from a follower? Sometimes people express themselves in a hurtful manner without considering how other people feel because “I paid for my data so I can”, and it doesn’t work that way. It would help if you remembered “The internet never forgets”; your actions, tweets or words could haunt you a few years from now.

Another thing to remember is that what you put out on social media says a lot about you. First impressions matter, and you don’t want to be perceived as a hateful person because of a comment you posted.

I realized that a lot of people don’t know this, so I have come up with a couple of Do’s and Don’ts for Social media i.e. social media etiquette. These are few tips that would help us make use of Social Media without hurting people along the way.

1. Be Polite

Don’t forget your manners. Being polite makes you approachable and it shows you’re respectful of other people’s feelings.

Being polite helps you maintain positive inter-personal relationships with people you have never met before.

You don’t need to be impolite or harsh to get your point across.

Don’t let your being polite be restricted to social media, apply this tip in your personal relationships.

2. Learn to Give Constructive Feedback

Constructive feedback is helpful and important because it gives room for improvement. This gives the person an idea about the things that need to be done better. Remember to remain polite and sensitive when leaving a feedback.

Tip: Use the sandwich method.

• Acknowledge the persons effort and hard work,
• Give polite suggestions and corrections and
• Praise the work again.

This doesn’t leave the person feeling cut down after you have accessed his or her work.

3. Do not use a person’s situation as a topic of conversation

Things people go through are not meant for you to table and discuss with other people. If you know something about what a person is going through, help in whatever capacity you can.

We have gotten accustomed to this that we do not realize that it is very low to make use of people’s situations as discussion topics.

We are Queens not insensitive. Don’t hurt people by using their situations as topics for discussion.

4. Limit your Thirst traps

I hate that this is the world we live in, but it is. Doing this would always attract weirdoes, and if this isn’t what you’re going for, it might be problematic. However, if it makes you feel powerful, I always advise you to do what’s best for you. But, remember, the internet has so many weirdoes. 🌚

5. Speak and Write well

The fact that you’re typing or talking on the phone doesn’t mean you should not pay attention to how you speak and type. Learn to construct your sentences correctly and use the correct words. Speaking and writing good English makes you look good and respectable.

6. Be Kind when Contributing to Ongoing Conversation

Yes, you are entitled to giving your opinion but remember that your opinion or contribution can hurt other people. The fact that it seems right to you doesn’t mean you should be harsh or disrespectful when you’re expressing your opinion. Sometimes not contributing is also acceptable.

7. Contribute Effectively

Connect with people with similar interest; that way, you can relate to their content and make helpful and meaningful contributions. You can effectively contribute by engaging with their content and leaving suggestions on how to make significant improvement.

8. Don’t Comment on every Situation / Trend

Not every post requires your comment/opinion. Learn not to leave a comment on every situation, especially when you know those comments are insensitive or do not tally with the situation. It’s not every time you’re required to make a comment, observe and move on.

9. Be Careful when Sharing Information

It’s social media, guys; you barely know half of the people you converse with. It’s best not to share detailed information, especially if it is very sensitive. For instance: If you are at a particular location, you do not have to leave the address or the exact venue while you are still there; it’s unsafe. You do not know who is stalking and watching your every move.

Let your private information stay private. Don’t be quick to disclose confidential, sensitive or private information. Stay safe ladies.

10. Don’t Be a Troll

Unfortunately, being a troll has become a norm in society today. People hiding behind their keypads at home leaving very insensitive comments on social media posts, remember that there’s a human at the receiving end. If you don’t like the person and their content, it’s best to unfollow or mute them. That way, you’d be protecting yourself from being triggered.

11. Be Mindful of Other People’s Privacy

Request permission from people before saying things about them online. This helps the other person determine if she’s comfortable enough to share this information with the world.

PS: you can take a page from Banky W and Adesua’s friends. Their news didn’t leak to the public until they were good and ready. D-banj also kept Don Jazzy’s secret for 18 years; that’s solid.

12. Ask People before Tagging

This point here should be imbibed by everyone honestly. Don’t tag people without asking them first. Ask yourself, “why am I tagging this person” “does my relationship with this person leave a room for that,” “would this person benefit from this tag”, is it worth their time? If no, like the post and leave them be. And if you feel they need to be tagged, ask first.

If you’ve got a shot of someone you want to upload, and you’re not trying to embarrass them, reach out to see if they mind you tagging them. Most people appreciate the chance to avoid having their reputation damaged or looking foolish.

13. Don’t be Insulting

Avoid being insulting when addressing people on social media. If you’re not sure how your statement will be perceived, don’t say it.

Hunnie the most important thing to know is that actively considering what people will feel when you speak, text or respond to their posts will help you check yourself when you’re on the verge of being a “social media troll”.

Be sure to put these tips to practice and feel free to tell me how it works out. Social media etiquette saves you from stress online.