How many of you check your phone for WhatsApp messages first thing in the morning? Our life revolves around WhatApp. We chat with friends on a one to one basis, or we have groups, family groups, and sisters' groups, batchmates' groups, workplace groups, school or college old boys' groups and the list could just go on. Manners and morals were invented so that we could live in a society without becoming a pain in the neck for people around us. While living our cyber lives too, we should pay attention to certain etiquette.

I belong to several groups and wish that group members would remember why the group was formed. In the junk of recycled messages, often the purpose of the group is lost and I wish I could leave. So my first advice would be: remember the purpose of the group and try not to deviate from it. If you do inundate group messaging with what you find hilarious and therefore share-worthy, others may not agree and even find you irritating and leave the group.

Likewise, when you are communicating with a group please remember: no inflammatory comments. Just like the art of small talk in polite company, your communication also should be pleasant and not be flaming.

Then there are those compulsive chain message forwarders. No sooner than they get a message that says WhatsApp will give some money to a patient or victim every time the message is forwarded - or a child is missing or found in some station - that they have to forward it, no matter how many times they have received those same messages. You will be doing others a favour if you break these chain messages.

These chain messages include medical advice, miracle cures for cancer et al, messages from the president or vice-president of WhatsApp promising your WhatsApp will turn blue or green or become free with free audio/video calling, which it has anyway. Or, you are doomed if you eat Kurkure or drink Frooti. Frooti is continuously getting infected with blood contaminated with AIDS. Even if the hoax is not obvious, just go by the thumb rule not to forward each and every message you get.

Forwarded messages are boring. Believe me, your friends will appreciate you if you don't, especially, if they are lengthy. If you are tempted to send a long message, then remember to KISS (keep it short, stupid!). You really think anyone actually reads those lengthy messages? Do you read them? Or just glance at them and then forward them. Pause before forwarding and ask yourself if it is that great.

And there are those malevolent posts pitting community against community, India against Pakistan, or one individual against another. These posts spew malice and vengeance and we should think twice about forwarding them. Before hitting that forward button, please think what purpose these posts serve and do you wish to be a cog in the wheel of the hate brigade. Remember, people who deserve respect read your words. Before you press the send button you should seriously decide whether it is beneficent to all concerned before forwarding such messages.

Lastly, remember to do unto others what you would others do unto you. Don't eat up other people's data or bandwidth by forcing them to download inane messages, photos and videos. Like you other people are also busy and don't have time for frivolous messages or discussions. Make sure your messages are meaningful and worth a read. And in the same vein, do not overuse emoticons. Your texts can be accompanied by appropriate emojis but don't respond with only emojis. You will become a laughing stock.

Send in your computer-related problems to askdoss@abpmail.com with TechTonic as the subject line