Your best friend has done it. People you work with are doing it. Your parents might even have done it! Online chatting is a great tool for meeting people. But, how much do you know about chatting?
After watching friends, colleagues and family members become involved with online chatting, maybe you are thinking about it too. But how much do you know about chatting?
Online chatting is a useful and fun activity. It is a great way to meet other people and make new friends. It can even be a way to start a new relationship. There are chat room for almost any age group, activity, geographical location or hobby. In fact, if there isn’t a chat room for what you are looking for, you can create it.
But how much do you really know about online chatting? Just as with anything else there are concerns and etiquette to follow when you are online chatting.
Here is a quiz to help you become better acquainted with online chatting. Read on to see how much you know!
1. How do people know you are in a chat room?
a. they can see you
b. you shout “hello”
c. you introduce yourself
The correct answer would be “c”. When you click to enter into a chat room, people won’t necessarily know you are present. It is considered polite to introduce yourself to the group. This an be a simple “hi guys!”
This lets the others in the chat room know that you have entered the conversation. If you do not introduce yourself, that is considered lurking and is kind of rude. It is equivalent to eavesdropping on a conversation.
2. If nobody responds to you immediately in a chat room, what should you do?
a. keeping typing and sending the same comments
b. wait for a few minutes
c. leave the chat room
The correct answer is “b”. When you enter a chat room and introduce yourself, or ask a question, make a comment, etc.…it is polite to give the other time to respond.
It is important to remember that people in the chat room may live in different time zones, be at work, or doing a hundred other things on their end. It is possible that they need a few minutes, and they will get back to you.
3. What is it called when a person sends multiple messages or the same message multiple times in a short time frame?
a. spamming
b. spanning
c. slamming
In this case the answer is “a”. This action is called spamming. In an online chat this is a very rude thing to do those in the same room. It is annoying and takes up a lot of chat space.
You need to be patient when you are online chatting and give people ample time to respond to your comments or questions.
4. True or False. Typing in all CAPS will get people’s attention faster.
The answer is unequivocally false. When it comes to online chatting, if you type is all caps it is the same as if you were yelling.
Nobody appreciates being yelled at, not even virtually. If you go in to a chat room and start firing off questions or comments in all caps you will be considered extremely rude. This is the type of behavior that could also be mentioned to the moderator and you may have your chat privileges suspended.
5. When can I give out my private, personal info?
a. as soon as I am chatting with someone
b. when someone asks me for it
c. when I feel comfortable doing so
The answer is without question “c”. When you are sitting at home chatting online, it can feel very safe. The reality is, you are still talking to strangers. You should spend a lot of time getting to know someone before handing over any personal info.
If you do plan to take things offline and meet in person, you still need to be safe. It is a good idea to meet in a neutral location, like a restaurant, that has a lot of other people around. And you should always take your own car or transportation to your meeting place. This way you are not inadvertently giving out your address and you have a way to leave if things go bad. Additionally, tell a friend or family member your plans and info before you leave home.
6. True or False. It’s ok to use a picture of a different person for my profile.
This is false. It may be tempting to use a celebrity picture or your best friend’s picture. But don’t. The picture needs to be an accurate representation of yourself.
Using someone else’s picture, without their permission can also be a legal violation. The last thing you want to do while trying to have fun and meet people is to run into legal troubles.
7. True or False. There are no rules for chat rooms.
This again is false. There are rules for chat rooms. In fact, you will probably be required to read them and agree to them before embarking on a chat adventure.
There are different types of rules. They may apply to the type of language that is tolerated or not, to what age is allowed in the chat room. It is important that you read them carefully so you will know what is expected of you and what is not acceptable from anyone.
The rules of a chat room are there to enhance your chat experience.
8. When can you say whatever you feel like in a chat room?
a. when you feel like it
b. never
c. if someone else starts it first
The answer to this question is definitely “b”. When you are chatting in a room, it is important to remember that there are still live people with feelings behind profiles and avatars. Feelings can and do get hurt.
It is important to remember that you are talking to a real person. If it’s something you wouldn’t want said to yourself, then don’t say it to others. If someone is being abusive, you should report it to the moderator.
9. What name should you use in online chatting?
a. your given name
b. a nickname
c. a screen name
The correct answer is “c”. You should never use your real name when chatting online. That is info that you should keep private. The same thing applies to not using a nickname. You want to be sure that you do not use any info that might let other people guess your true identity.
This is for your own protection; remember you are chatting with strangers. When chatting online you should pick a fun screen name. This can be anything you choose it to be and it will give you the security of protecting your true identity.
10. True or False. It’s perfectly ok to ask others in the chat room for their age/gender/location.
The correct answer is False. It is not ok to ask others in the chat room such private questions. You don’t want o give out your private info, and neither do the others. Asking these types of questions are rude and pushy.
11. You are chatting with someone in the chat room and want to take it to the next step.
Do you…..
- start a private conversation with them in the middle of the chat room
- send them a private message immediately
- ask them in the chat rom if you can PM them
Of course, the correct answer is “c”. You would certainly not start a private conversation with someone in the middle of the group conversation. That is awkward at best. You also don’t want to just send someone a private message.
The polite way to handle this is to ask the person in the group chat if you may PM them. If they agree, then you send a private message and continue your conversation privately.
12. When is it acceptable to use abbreviations?
a. on the weekends
b. anytime
when you feel like it
The answer to this question can be all of the above! It is more than acceptable to use abbreviations and anacronyms when in a chat room.
When you are chatting online, it is important to realize that the conversation will flow smoothly and quickly if people aren’t waiting forever for you to finish typing.
You can very easily type “brb” when leaving the chat to grab a drink or snack. The others will realize you will “be right back”.
Points to Remember
Online chatting is a fun activity and a great way to connect with other people and make new friends.
Chatting in chat rooms can be done from the comfort of your home or just about anywhere you can log on with your phone or laptop. There are many different sites and apps so you can find a site that you share common interests with.
But just like in real time, real life, face to face encounters there are rules of etiquette for chat rooms.
Remember to keep your private info, private. You will still be with virtual strangers, so you need to be careful with your private information and who has access to it. This includes your names as well.
At the same time, it is not right to ask the others in the chat room for their private info. It is rude to ask someone their real name, age, location, gender unless they have given permission to do or offered the information themselves.
Pick a screen name that guards your privacy.
Use a picture that is of you. Don’t use a picture of a friend or celebrity. Using someone’s likeness without their permission could result in a legal issue for you.
Don’ heavily photoshop a picture of yourself either. If you are using a picture of yourself, be confident. People want to see the real you.
If you are asking a question or making a comment in the chat room, give the others time to respond. It is very likely that people may not be able to respond immediately. It is good manners to give them a decent amount of time before asking again.
Asking the same question or making the same comment repeatedly in a short amount of time is considered spamming. This is extremely rude to the others in your chat.
Likewise, typing in all caps is considered to be shouting and is also rude. Make sure you haven’t accidently hit the caps lock key!
Please remember that there are real people behind the screen names with real feelings. You do not want to say mean or unkind things to anyone. If someone is being rude, it is ok to block them and/or let a moderator know about it.
It is perfectly acceptable to use abbreviations in a chat room. This will help the conversation to flow quickly and smoothly. This can also make it easier for others in the chat to quickly know what you are trying to say.
If you want to talk privately with another person in the chat room, ask them first. It is rude to automatically send someone a private message without asking them first. Once they give permission, then you can message them.
And remember, chat rooms have rules. When you register on a website for chat rooms, you will be prompted to read the rules. Please read them before agreeing to them. The rules of a chat room help ensure that everyone has an agreeable experience.
Conclusion
Chat rooms are a great place to connect with other people. They can be a positive experience since you have the chance to meet other people with similar interests or hobbies. You can use your laptop or smart phone since there are many apps and sites available to use.
Simply remember a few basic rules of chat room etiquette and follow the rules of the site.
Chatting online will be a great experience and one that you will enjoy.
