As more young people continue to use the World Wide Web for social and educational reasons, and take part in online communities -- like email and chatrooms -- their parents and teachers worry about this `brave new world' their offspring are entering.

Research has shown the World Wide Web can be a wide world of confusion to the uninitiated, with a hidden subculture permeated by free-thinking cyber-surfers.

Author of the Internet etiquette book, `Netiquette', Virginia Shea has spelt out some of the pitfalls for the unwary in her book.

She said: "When you enter any culture -- and cyberspace has it's own culture -- you're liable to commit a few social blunders. "You might offend without meaning to. Or you might misunderstand what others say and take offence when it's not intended.'' Mrs. Shea, an American, has devised a set of rules to assist Internet "newbys'' minimise their mistakes -- and the information may also be of use to families trying to understand the world beyond the screen blinking in the corner of their living room.

Here are the rules of the cyberworld, according to Virginia Shea.

One: Remember the Human.

"You don't have the opportunity to use facial expressions, gestures and tone of voice to communicate your meaning -- words, lonely words are all you've got.'' She recommends asking yourself, would you say it to the person's face? Adhere to the same standards of behaviour online that you follow in real life.

"People sometimes forget that there's a human being on the other side of the computer, some people think that a lower standard of ethics or personal behaviour is acceptable in cyberspace.'' Know where you are in cy berspace.

"What's perfectly acceptable in one area may be dreadfully rude in another.

For example, in most TV discussion groups, passing on idle gossip is perfectly permissible.

"But throwing around unsubstantiated rumours in a journalists' mailing list will make you very unpopular there.

"Lurk before you leap. When you enter a domain of cyberspace that's new to you, take a look around. Spend a while listening to the chat or reading the archives.

"Get a sense of how the people who are already there act. Then go ahead and participate.'' Respect other people's time and bandwidth. "When you send an email or post to a discussion group, you're taking up other people's time. It's your responsibility to ensure that the time they spend reading your post isn't wasted.

"Bandwidth is sometimes used synonymously with time, but it's really a different thing.

"Bandwidth is the information-carrying capacity of the wires and channels that connect everyone to cyberspace -- there's a limit to the amount of data that any piece of wiring can carry.'' Make yourself look good on line.

"I don't want to give the impression the net is a cold, cruel place full of people who just can't wait to insult each other. As in the world at large, most people who communicate online just want to be liked.

"Networks -- particularly discussion groups -- let you reach out to people you'd otherwise never met.

"You won't be judged by the colour of your skin, eyes or hair, your weight, your age or your clothing.

"You will, however, be judged by the quality of your writing. For most people who choose to communicate online, this is an advantage; if they didn't enjoy using the written word, they wouldn't be there. So spelling and grammar do count.

"If you're spending a lot of time on the net and you're shaky in these areas, it's worth brushing up on them.'' Share expert knowledge.

"Finally, after all that negativity, some positive advice. The strength of cyberspace is in it's numbers. The Internet itself was founded and grew because scientists wanted to share information.

"When you anticipate that you'll get a lot of answers to a question, or when you post a question to a discussion group that you don't visit often, it's customary to request replies by email instead of to the group.

"Then write up a summary and post it to the discussion group. That way, everyone benefits from the experts to took the time to write.

"If you're an expert yourself, there's even more you can do. If you're a leading participant in a discussion group that lacks a Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ), consider writing one.

"If you've researched a topic that you think would be of interest to others, write it up and post it. Sharing knowledge is fun. It's a long-time net tradition and it makes the world a better place.'' Help keep flame wars under control.

"Flaming is what people do when they express a strongly held opinion without holding back any emotion.

"Tact is not it's objective. (Constant exchanges) can dominate tone and destroy the camaraderie of a discussion group. It's unfair to other members of the group and while flame wars can be initially amusing, they get boring very quickly to people who aren't involved.'' Respect other people's privacy.

"You'd never dream of going through your colleagues desk drawers, so naturally you wouldn't read their email either.'' Don't abuse your power.

"Some people in cyberspace have more power than others. There are wizards in MUDS (multi-user dungeons), experts in every office and system administrators in every system.

"Knowing more than others, or having more power than they do, does not give you the right to take advantage of them. For example, system administrators should never read private emails.'' Be forgiving of other people's mistakes.

"Everyone was a network newby once. If you do decide to inform someone of a mistake, point it out politely and preferably by private email rather than in public.

"Give people the benefit of the doubt.''