The Internet has opened up a whole new online 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 basic rules of behaviour① that should be followed when online.
The basic rule is simple：treat others in the same way you would want to be treated. Imagine how youd 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 rude② to you， your instinct is to fire back in the same manner. But try not to do so. 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.
Everyone was new to the network once. 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 it， think twice before saying anything. Having good manners yourself doesn’t give you license to correct everyone else.
If you do decide to tell someone about a mistake， point it out politely. At the same time， if you find you are wrong， be sure to correct yourself and apologize to those that you have offended.
It is not polite to ask others personal questions such as their age， sex， and marital status. Unless you know the person very well， and you are both comfortable with sharing personal information， don’t ask such questions.
① behaviourn. 行为，举止，习性
② rudeadj. 粗鲁的，无礼的，猛烈的，残暴的
网上交流的规则
因特网为我们打开了一个全新的网络世界。在那里，我们可以聚在一起聊天，体验从未有过的新天地。
就像面对面交流一样，网上交流也应当遵循一些基本的行为规则。
规则其实很简单：用自己想要别人对待自己的方式去对待其他人，设身处地想一想别人的感受。
发送信息时，首先要问一下自己：“倘若现在我们面对面，我这样说合适吗？”如果答案是否定的，那么就把信息重写一遍，然后读一遍。如此反复几次，直到你觉得语言比较得体时，再把它发出去。
在聊天室里，有人对你很粗鲁时，你可能本能地想马上予以“还击”。不要这样做。你可以不理那个人，或者用聊天软件拦截他或她的信息。如果是意见相左导致了你们争吵，那就心平气和地、有礼貌地通过讨论解决这个问题。记住，要尊重聊天室里其他人的见解。
每个人都有一段初次接触网络的经历。新手一开始可能不知道怎样和大家交流，因此，可以给他们提点建议。有人出错了，或者是提了一个很低级的问题，或者是回复问题拖沓冗长时，应善意地对待他们。如果只是一个小错误，那你根本没必要说什么。就算你为此而大动肝火，也应考虑清楚后再作评论。一个礼貌得体的“网民”并没有纠正别人的权力。
倘若你的确想指出别人的错误，一定要礼貌一些。同时，如果你发现原来是自己错了，那一定要改正，并向对方道歉。
问别人个人方面的问题是不礼貌的，诸如年龄、性别和婚姻状况等。不要问这样的问题，除非你们很熟，而且相互之间乐于分享个人信息。
