7 Common Things to Avoid Doing Online if You Want to Be Well-Respected

And what you should consider doing instead

Do you know how many people have a data plan or piggyback on someone’s Wi-Fi? 4,833,521,806.4. That’s how many people use the internet as of July 2020. And this number is projected to rise.

Through blogs and social media networks, the internet hands everyone a golden opportunity to interact with billions of people. Because your actions in the digital space reverberate louder and live longer, you can become a well-respected person online if you play your cards right.

Playing your cards right means you avoid doing the following:

Abusing other users

It looks like in 2020, you can no longer hold a contrary opinion on an issue, let alone put a foot wrong. The keyboard warriors will crucify you on the digital cross.

Celebrity feuds, for example, are trends that are catching on on social media, but when fans hurl vitriol at others through @s and DMs, they violate the first rule of engagement.

I see it all the time on Twitter timelines and on Facebook fan pages.

Also, speaking ill of someone because they belong to a different political, ethnic, or religious group is unacceptable, and anyone should be ashamed to engage in it.

You wouldn’t find well-respected people firing abuse at others over a difference in opinion, ethnicity, or religion. It doesn’t cross their minds, nor does it suit their tastes.

What to do instead

Fighting abuse online is a tough act for any individual. But one classic example I saw on Twitter was someone standing up to a bully and calling him out for his abusive tweet.

A good Samaritan went ahead and reported the abuse. A few days later, Twitter banned the account that published the abusive tweet.

Sharing misinformation like a hot meal

A lot of people radiate dangerous amounts of misinformation online, and reading their views only gives you a bout of nausea. Sometimes, a genuine attempt to educate the world ends up misleading everyone.

When one piece of misinformation on COVID-19 can rack up billions of views, for example, we are all susceptible.

Unscrupulous people also add their twist to the mix by preying on peoples’ fears, often to deadly consequences. According to this article on psychology today, “misinformation has the potential to harm and sometimes lead to loss of lives.”

To control misinformation, some websites disclaim contents published on their sites as the opinions of the contributors.

A tip of the hat to Twitter for creating a fact-checking tool to control misinformation.

What to do instead

Always, always, always verify your facts before you share. When you can rouse Siri or Google Now from sleep with only two words, you have no defence for spreading misinformation.

Also, list the source(s) of the information you’re sharing, especially if your points are on hot-button issues.

Spreading negativity

When I joined Facebook in 2009, it was a place to connect with friends and share some happy moments. The cameras on our Sony Ericsson K750s and Motorola V3s gave us good enough pictures to upload to our profiles.

Others also reunited with long-lost childhood friends and high school mates. Social media was all smiles, all cheers, all fun.

Boy, have the times changed.

A lot of people need to take a second look at their role in spreading negativity online. The high tide of negative news is always rising anyway, thanks to some of the news outlets.

But when people take it a step further to spam WhatsApp groups and Facebook pages with videos of massacres — often without any warning of viewer discretion — , they make the online experience sickening.

You wonder what drives some people’s motives.

I am not calling for a ban on people sharing their plights online, but I’m suggesting they act more responsibly by disguising the faces of the victims and warning viewers of the type of content they’ve just shared, at the least.

Why do you think a lot of people advise that you stay away from the internet first thing in the morning?

What to do instead

If you find a helpful and uplifting resource, you can tell the world about it and help your friends and followers to some of the goodness.

You may have to seek the permission of your contacts before you share the contents with them on WhatsApp and Facebook groups, though. You’d hate other users to flag you for spamming, wouldn’t you?

Complaining about nothing, something, and everything

The only thing the internet lacks is a band of certified complainers. Everybody sees what is wrong with the world, but only a few have tried to come up with any form of solution. I once played a prominent role in that movement, but I’ve seen the light now.

I respect people who highlight a problem they see and proffer even the most unlikely solution. Aren’t we all tired of the usual complainers online who try to mold every molehill into Everest?

What to do instead

“Don’t be surprised. There is nothing new under the sun. Only endless repackagings.” John Piper

Case studies of similar problems abound, and you can always read how others navigated the tricky waters you find yourself in.

Defaming others

“It takes 20 years to build a good reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” Warren Buffet

People often trump up accusations against those they dislike. And this practice has burst onto the online space with no resistance. Some people have even created burner accounts to deal with their foes.

But well-respected people do not launch a smear campaign against someone because you don’t like them. And neither should you if you want to be one.

You cannot earn the respect of the online community if you douse other’s flames so yours can shine brighter.

In some cases, people have published falsities about others and landed themselves in trouble, having to offer apologies online, or worse, cough up fines in court.

Lying through your keyboard

The media is so polarized in some countries you can’t find a drop of objectivity in the ocean of news they publish. They have sacrificed honesty on the altar of affiliation.

For many other people, alas, lying is an integral part of their lives. There is no right or wrong to them; the truth is only through the perspective of their political leaning or social divide. Half-truths and political correctness are more valuable to them than facts accuracy.

Some also paint fake pictures of lives that don’t exist with the brush of Adobe Photoshop.

I wish I can shake the moral compasses of some people and make them speak the truth at all times. An impossible wish, I realize. If neither the cloak nor the oath can coax the truth out of them in person, I can’t do much by myself either.

But people with self-respect do not lie through their teeth, or rather, through their keyboards.

Rejoicing at others’ misfortunes

I don’t know what motivates people to make fun of the tragedy that befalls others, more so in the full glare of the world. People share insensitive jokes about others’ troubles, especially in the political space, and there’s no act more shameful.

I understand that people think those thoughts anyway, even without sharing them online. And most people would be flagged hypocrites for that. Fair enough. But spraying our rotten thoughts all over the internet makes it incomparably worse.

Well-respected people know their words live long online. They cover their thoughts with love and pick their words with care.

What to do instead

You should commiserate with victims from a genuine heart if you want to. It elevates your words above the flood of dour comments.

Cut back on the boring clichés.

Takeaways

“The internet has made the world a small town again.” Ana White.

If you want to be a well-respected member in this town, you cannot abuse your neighbors, misinform others, or spread negativity. Neither can you slander them, lie to them, and make fun of other their misfortunes.

Well-respected people find ways to stand up to the bullies, verify the facts before they share, spread positive vibes, tell the truth, and show genuine sympathy.

They know the power of their actions. But even better, they know how to empower others with their actions.

And we can consciously walk in their steps.