Online Etiquette

How to cyber-speak. 

by Whitney Bailey

ALL CAPS MEAN YOU’RE SHOUTING!

You don’t have to possess perfect grammar or have the best typing skills to contribute to a forum, but you do have to know when your entries are perceived as yelling at the other members.  Never type in all caps, unless you really want to convey that you’re shouting.

Always Follow OpSec (Operations Security)

Just as your spouse must censor what they divulge on the phone, in e-mail, or even in person regarding their duties in the military, don’t forget that you must do the same online.  Anyone in the world can read your posts, so keep this in mind when referring to maneuvers, troop movements and training.  When in doubt, don’t discuss it online.

Don’t Say Anything You Wouldn’t Say in Person

The anonymity of the internet can be a dangerous thing and sometimes we can forget that we’re communicating with real people in a public forum.  If another poster expresses an opinion that you disagree with, think before you respond.  If someone attacks your opinion, don’t retaliate with personal insults or swearing.  Before saying anything negative about someone else, ask yourself if you would be comfortable saying the same thing to their face.

Don’t Go Overboard on Abbreviations

No one wants to decipher: OMG MY DH is GR8! (Oh my gosh, my husband is great!)  So while abbreviations are a fun and easy way to convey a message, use them sparingly.  This isn’t text messaging – you aren’t paying by the word.  And because we’re part of the military family, you may be inclined to use military acronyms that others don’t know.  Spell them out or suggest them to the milspouse.com glossary for others to reference.

Glossary

BF – Boyfriend, GF – Girlfriend

BRB – Be right back

BTW – By the way

DH – Dear husband (or darned husband, depending on your mood)

DITY or DIY – Do it yourself

DW – Dear wife (also DD – Dear Daughter and DS – Dear Son)

FAQ – Frequently asked question

FOAF – Friend of a friend

FBOW – For better or worse

IDK – I don’t know

IMO – In my opinion

IMHO – In my humble opinion

IRL – In real life

JK – Just kidding

KWIM – Know what I mean?

LOL – Laughing out loud

MIL – Mother-in-law, FIL – Father-in-law, etc.

MS – Military spouse

MYOB – Mind your own business

OMG – Oh my gosh

ROFL – Rolling on the floor laughing

ROFLMAO – Rolling on the floor laughing my (butt) off

SAHM – Stay-at-home mom

THX – Thanks

TMI – Too much information

TTFN – Ta-ta for now

WTH – What the heck?

Try these expressions out in the MilSpouse.com Forums.  Click here to see the latest topics.