Berlatsky, Noah. Netiquette and Online Ethics.

Berlatsky, Noah.  Netiquette and Online Ethics. Cengage/Gale/Blackbirch/Greenhaven  2013  213p  ISBN 978-0-7377-6429-1  Series: Opposing Viewpoints  ms/hs  E-BNS Nonfiction

The editor has compiled a selection of articles that address the impact that social media and internet use in general are having on individuals, societies, and morals across the globe.  Chapters specifically look at the relationship between the internet and civility, whether cyber bullying is a serious problem, what factors constitute etiquette and ethics in online relationships, and finally, the etiquette and ethics of social media.  A very balanced overview is presented about each of these topics, but this reader is concerned about how secondary-school readers (potentially the primary users of this resource) and their parents will interpret some of the articles.  From an adult perspective, each viewpoint is valid, whether one agrees with it or not, and these views reflect the variety of possible perspectives.  But I would definitely have concerns about who is reading the book and for what purpose. I can definitely imagine a teen walking away from reading snippets of the book and thinking that iffy behavior (such as posting nude photos online) would be okay, or trying to convince an adult of this by referencing an article contained in this book.  

Does this mean this volume is not good?  Definitely not. But unlike the views expressed in so many of the other volumes in this series, the ones presented here could have a negative impact on a student, and no one would necessarily know, since internet behavior is a difficult thing to monitor.  With consideration for addressing the Common Core, three or four questions precede each chapter that require higher-level thinking and responses.    As always, the Opposing Viewpoints series is a must-have collection for any high-school collection, and many of the titles are appropriate and useful at the middle-school level as well. 

Summary: Etiquette, the proper and improper uses of the internet and social media, and the impact these things have on society are covered in this volume of the Opposing Viewpoints series.       

Online etiquette                                            --Lynn Fisher