MCLE ON THE WEB
($20 PER CREDIT HOUR)
TEST # 46
1 HOUR CREDIT
LEGAL ETHICS
To earn one hour of MCLE credit, read the substantive material, then download the test, answer the questions and follow the directions to submit for credit.
Netiquette Versus Cyber Ethics
A dizzying array of professional rules affects Web sites,
e-mail addresses, domain names and online articles
BY CAROLE LEVITT AND MARK ROSCH
Most attorneys are familiar with the term "Netiquette" — guidelines for proper behavior in the world of cyber communication. Cyber communications that fall
within these guidelines mostly refer to e-mails, discussion groups or chat. Some well-known netiquette guidelines are: (1) avoid flaming (but if you must, use a
"Flame On/Flame Off" warning); (2) watch your tone of voice (some people use a smiley face to show they are joking or <g> to indicate "grin"); (3) use abbrevia-
tions (e.g. IMHO —"In my humble opinion") and (4) respect others' time and bandwidth by using descriptive subject lines and not sending the same e-mail multi-
ple times to the same discussion group and so on). For more netiquette guidelines, see the online version of "Netiquette" by Virginia Shea
(http://www.albion.com/netiquette/book/index.html).
The ABA and various state bar associations, in the meantime, have been adding to the concept of netiquette by writing ethical opinions or creating new ethical
rules about proper cyber communication behavior. While the above netiquette guidelines that were crafted for the general public are voluntary, the more specific
opinions and rules crafted for attorneys are not. In addition to the cyber communications noted above, the rules and opinions geared to attorneys can also apply
to the following cyber communications: Web sites (and now probably blogs), domain names, e-mail addresses and online articles. Ethical opinions and rules that
relate to these various forms of cyber communication will be collectively referred to as "Cyber Ethics."
Is your Web site ethical?
As early as 1996, many State Bars began issu