How to Avoid a Flame War
A flame war is a fight that is carried out on the Internet, either through email or posts on a message board. A specific insult to another is considered a flame, and the act of insulting another is called flaming. By knowing the etiquette and rules of the website, one can avoid the damage caused by a flame war. In addition, by thinking through any correspondence before posting or sending, and by remaining calm when offended, anyone can prevent a bad situation from escalating.
- Difficulty:
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Instructions
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Know the community. To prevent a flame war, wait until the etiquette of the website is known before posting a message. This is called “lurking,” and it is a socially acceptable practice for learning the rules of an unfamiliar group. Prevent flaming by reading other members’ email and responses; the tone, focus and pet peeves of the posters will become clear. If somebody wants to flame another, stay out of it. In addition, it is often bothersome to others when somebody posts something off the topic of a message board thread, or carries on a personal conversation with another poster in a public forum.
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Think before posting or sending an email. Because of the nature of texting versus talking, so much is lost in translation and a misunderstanding can provoke a flame war. Read all written material before posting, and examine it from every angle for words that could be offensive, insensitive or violate the etiquette and rules of the website. The most benign message can be misunderstood as a flame. Emoticons, such as a smiley face, can clarify that something is a joke rather than an insult. By exercising sensitivity, one can prevent flaming.
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3
Don’t take the bait when somebody is flaming. Sometimes people visit websites specifically to start a flame war. These people are known as "trolls" and should be ignored. If a flame from these trolls is particularly offensive or disruptive, send an email to the site administrator, who is responsible for enforcing the etiquette and rules of the website. When a troll doesn’t get the attention that he craves, he will move on. Also consider people who may just be having a bad day; don’t say something you’ll regret later.
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Clear up any mistakes that could be taken as a flame. Sometimes an email will accidentally make its way to an unintended audience, and they will think it is flaming. For example, somebody may be trying to send another person a private message, and it is inadvertently is broadcast to the entire group. In this scenario, it is good etiquette for the person to post a clarification and apology for the mistake. The rules of the website govern what kind of content is appropriate and inappropriate. Read these rules and know them.
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Respect the group. Nobody likes the grammar police, but at the same time respect the forum enough not to be sloppy when writing email. Sometimes a simple grammar mistake can draw a flame, and this type of flaming should be ignored. While it’s good etiquette to try to write well, the rules of the website will almost never dictate spelling and grammar. However, thoughtful writing sets a tone that demands respect among the online community, and it will decrease the chances of a flame war.
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