The Social Media Etiquette Commandments

• Thou shalt RSVP. When someone has the kindness to invite you, the very least thou owest is a response. Yes, Evites count.

• Credit thy sources. It is as appropriate in life as in academia to admit when ideas are not thy own.

• Thou shalt not look annoyed if passers-by become engaged with thy cell phone conversations. Thou art having a public conversation. They hath ears. Do the math.

• Ye who walketh while you texteth, get in the slow lane and out of the way of those who art walking with a purpose.

• When thou dost not receiveth an instantaneous response, the rules of basic civility do not go instantly into abeyance. You do not get to yell at people for not being on email.

I’ve probably broken these as often as I’ve upheld them, but that makes them none the less important.

Now, what can you add to the list?

(Edited to add: the day after I published this, both Chris Brogan and B.L. Ochman came out with posts on that last topic. Seriously, people. Fast does not equal good. Being deliberate is a good thing.)