In our original interview series, Obasanjo’s Internet, we talk to some of your favourite online personalities to find out how they use the internet. One of the questions we ask during the interview is about the rules they live by when it comes to the internet and social media; the internet, although super helpful, can quickly become a wild place to navigate and having some rules to guide your navigation is often important. In this article, we’ve curated and broken down 9 of the best internet rules from your favorite online personalities throughout our ongoing Obasanjo’s Internet series.
1. Curate what you see
“You know these new platforms give you an option to curate your feed immediately you log in for the first time and I take it seriously. I actually settle down and curate what I want to be seeing and if it’s a platform that I think “oh yes comedy might be good sometimes” I also tap on that. That’s the only thing at the moment that I obey. The remaining principles I wouldn’t mention because I don’t live by them yet and I don’t want to be a hypocrite. That is the major thing, I try to curate my feed in a way that the only things I see are things that inspire and I think that’s all that matters because no matter how long I stay on the internet you can be rest assured that whatever I’m seeing—even if it’s 5 hours I’m staying—all I’m scrolling past are things that inspire.”- Ebuka Mordi
2. Mind your business
“No put mouth for wetin no concern you and try to ignore foolishness.” – Oli Ekun
3. Be relaxed and have fun
“Never take anybody seriously, don’t be too serious, and never have role models online. Also, amala is mid.”- Chemical Brother
4. Do not overshare
“I never reveal too much, whatever I reveal on the internet is probably five per cent of what’s going on in my life.” – Vader The Wildcard
5. Don’t follow people anyhow
“I don’t follow people I don’t genuinely like. I don’t post anything that I won’t be comfortable with being on the internet forever. I interact with my audience as if they are real people: I don’t think of them as numbers in my bio.”- Salem King
6. Be authentic and kind
“I think authenticity is the most important thing so just always check in with yourself. It’s very easy to slip into performing, not wanting to express yourself because being perceived can be a lot but at the end of the day, you are who you are and you have to always back yourself, ten toes down. Don’t take the internet too seriously and be kind because these days people think it’s cool to be mean on the internet and I find that whack personally.” – Chinasa Anukam
7. Eat before you post
“Don’t post anything before you’ve had a meal. Pearl S Buck once wrote that “A hungry man can’t see right or wrong,” and I agree with that.”- TMT
8. Don’t share your opinion on everything
“If it’s controversial, you don’t have to add your own opinion, you shouldn’t have an opinion about everything. I’ve also realised that common sense is not common so you could get into a situation where it feels like someone has dragged you into a pit and is arguing with you there, that’ll now make you upset. So I mostly mind my business but on some days, I drop my 2 cents and leave.” – Tobi ‘Alhaji Popping’ Mohammed
9. Don’t say online what you can’t say in person
“The internet is important, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. I cannot allow the praise or criticism and insults of strangers to get to my head. I also try not to be too rude or talk in a manner I wouldn’t if the person or people were in front of me.” – Jola Ayeye