The etiquette of Facebook is the list of Do’s and Don’ts when you are interacting inside the social network or when you are interacting using social media in general. Although not set in stone, these rules are placed in order to avoid irritating and alienating others, especially since it is so easy to take what you do, post, and say online the wrong way.
Facebook etiquette deals socially acceptable behavior when posting, sending messages, tagging friends, and even poking. For instance, in the past it was ok to tag all your friends in your albums. However, many people are getting tired of seeing themselves in the most unflattering poses in friends’ albums, which lead to the unwritten rule that you should avoid tagging friends, even in your own photos, especially if the photo is something you would not want your own parents or boss to see. Also, don’t upload many profile pictures of yourself 1-3 professional, fully-dressed pictures should be enough.
It is also a bit irritating to poke someone, even friends you know. A lot of people are wondering what the Poke button is for, and some end up getting quite frustrated when friends poke them for no reason. You should never poke someone to show that you like them. Instead, tell them in real life or at least in a phone call.
Status updates are also another sensitive area in Facebook etiquette. Posting about the most trivial things, such as what you had for breakfast or if you are getting ready for bed are not something most people would find relevant or even interesting. Therefore, it might be best to skip those posts and reserve your next status for something that most of your friends can relate to.
Private messages is a different part, you must reply to every message within a day. If you don’t want to reply to your messages from certain people, then why are they even on your friends list?
Don’t send friend requests to people you don’t know, and if you do know the person – send a personal message together with a friend request.
Don’t end relationships on Facebook.
There’s much more to be said about the etiquette of Facebook. Always remember that there are different types of people and you have to adapt. You could be more relaxed when interacting with an old friend, but you must follow the correct etiquette when interacting with people from the professional world. There are, of course, different social networks for professionals, such as LinkedIn.
