People are connected today more than ever!

Residents within neighborhoods, homeowners associations, and entire towns are regularly gathering online to pass on information, seek advice, ask for referrals, post items for sale, and share important announcements.

With the surge of local Facebook groups, private neighborhood sites, and community-based apps, many people find themselves in multiple online community forums on different platforms. Increased communication with people who share a common interest in where they call home is a good thing … for the most part. Sometimes it can deteriorate into community gossip, character assassination of a neighbor, slander of a local business, or mayhem sparked by local online trolls.

Some online community forums are moderated, but many are not. Regardless if there’s a moderator, it’s up to individuals to self-govern and self-regulate their own online behavior and to post responsibly, respectfully, and with common sense.

*Note* These “10 Commandments for Posting in Online Community Forums” were not established atop a mountain, spoken from a burning bush, or found etched in stone tablets. They come from a couple of fellow wanderers in this digital age who’ve spent more than a decade observing and writing about online behaviors, participating in online forums, reading lots of cringe-worthy postings (and embarrassing back-and-forth threads), and watching simple disagreements spiral out of control. Our view is, why repeat the mistakes of countless others when you can be a meaningful contributor to the online sphere?

#1) Thou shalt be fully responsible for what you post: The words you type, the tone of your post, the links you share, and the pictures you post are all YOUR responsibility. When you press “Send,” you own your post.

#2) Thou shalt use other types of communication when need be: It’s very likely that something you post will offend someone at some point. A political statement, a poorly crafted joke, or a stern statement on a topic. There will be times that you inadvertently cross a line. Relationships are more important than defending your “rightness,” and there are times where voice-to-voice (phone call) or face-to-face communication is necessary to resolve an online exchange.

#3) Thou shalt own the mistakes you make online: Admitting your mistakes and apologizing is crucial for relationships… including online forum relationships. This includes: posting wrong, incomplete, or bad information; treating people or entities poorly with your posts; or causing unnecessary drama with what you type. Even if it’s unintended, own your mistakes and do what you can to make it right.

#4) Thou shalt not abuse the purpose of the online forum: Every online exchange has a purpose. Some, like a Facebook community group, may even have well-defined rules for the group. So, follow the rules. And whether it is explicitly stated or not, don’t solicit business, spam about income possibilities, or discuss matters that are off topic. Respect everyone’s time and the purpose of the online forum you belong to.

#5) Thou shalt not spam, troll, or send unwanted posts to individuals in the forum: Riding the coattails of Commandment #4, don’t take advantage of the members of the community forums by using it as a mailing list that you can privately solicit to. Unless someone asks for help, don’t give it. Don’t infer, don’t interpret, and don’t assume people want whatever you are offering, as presumably helpful as your offer may be.

#6) Honor your name, your family name, and your reputation: You are the only one who cares (and should care) about your reputation,  which means you are the only one who can protect it. In many of the community forums, often your picture, your name, and a link to more information about you is available to everyone in the online community. What you’re saying and how you’re saying it is being seen by many, not just those you’re responding to, or those who engage with the post. Many more are staying on the sidelines, staying silent, and could possibly recall your online actions in real life situations.

#7) Thou shalt not make a private matter public: Discernment is a must here. A statement we often cite is, “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” You can post anything. And for a millisecond, you think it was justified. Until the reactions start coming. Does every neighbor need to know about the letter you received from the HOA about your yard before appealing the notice in the agreed upon process? Does the entire forum need to know you got served a bad cup of coffee from a brand new restaurant in town? Should you verbally torch a community leader online before discussing your disagreements with them in a way so they can fairly respond? Don’t be so quick to take things online if you haven’t tried to resolve your issues offline first.

#8) Thou shalt not slander someone online: Posting false information or malicious statements about a person or entity happens a lot in this digital age. And while some do it purposefully, many of us have inadvertently participated in it. It can come in the form of a “call to action” post, a false review of an establishment, a leading question inquiring about someone’s intent, or a rant about a person or group in a particular situation. With numerous likes, a few shares, and a handful of comments, things can escalate out of control in a matter of minutes. Real damage can be done to the accused, without much consequence to the slanderers.  Perception is reality, so please take a moment to remember that there are real people on the other end of your computer, and real lives that can be affected by your words.

#10) Thou shalt take some time between writing a post and pushing send: In the era of instant gratification and real-time posts on social media, there are certain times that taking an extended break between writing a post and pushing SEND is a good idea. Not only does it give you time to re-read your post but it allows you to go through the nine other Commandments and determine if you’ve broken any of them. This comes in handy on posts that you know will spark a reaction or have negative ramifications.

Rather than looking at this as a list of do’s and don’ts, view these 10 Commandments as guard rails for your online life so you don’t go careening off a cliff. Work on following a few, and progress to more as you see fit. The goal is to help you avoid common mistakes, save face, guard your reputation, and be a meaningful contributor to the online community forums to which you belong.