Mastering Messenger Etiquette: How to Communicate Smoothly with Family

Communicating with older family members who frequently send countless greetings every hour can be challenging. Together with Viber, we’ve created a comprehensive guide to help you and your relatives enjoy smooth and respectful interactions in messaging apps. Share this guide with your family and evaluate your own digital manners.

1. Keep Your Messages Concise and Unified

Avoid breaking your thoughts into many short messages. Receiving multiple notifications in quick succession can overwhelm and irritate the recipient, as each message may trigger sounds or vibrations. Instead of sending separate messages like “Hi!”, “How are you?”, “What are you doing?”, and “Can you talk?”, try consolidating your thoughts into a single clear message.

Imagine your phone battery is low and you can send only one message that must convey the most important information. This mindset helps you save your family member’s time and energy, preventing them from anxiously waiting for your full message.

If your contact doesn’t reply within a couple of minutes, avoid sending impatient messages like “Are you there?” or “Why aren’t you responding?”. They might be busy. If hours pass with no reply, gently check in with a message like “Is everything alright?” Remember, informing that you’ll respond later is always appreciated.

2. Express Your Thoughts Clearly and Briefly

Consider someone stepping out of an important meeting to glance at their phone. A long, convoluted message is hard to process quickly. Messaging apps are designed for quick exchanges, so keep your messages straightforward and easy to understand. Break long texts into paragraphs or number your questions for clarity. Always proofread to avoid typos that could cause confusion. For complex topics, suggest a voice or video call instead.

3. Schedule Video Calls in Advance

Imagine you’ve agreed to chat in the evening and dial your family member, but they don’t answer. This isn’t personal — they may be tired or in an inappropriate setting for a video call. Always confirm video calls beforehand, making sure everyone is comfortable with turning on their camera. A simple agreement to “call” doesn’t always mean video.

4. Use Voice Messages Wisely

Voice messages are convenient but can become frustrating if overused. Unlike text, you can’t easily skim or quote parts of an audio message, and searching through voice notes is impossible. Listening takes more time, especially if messages contain long pauses. Always ask before sending voice notes and plan your message to be brief and meaningful. Avoid sending unsolicited audio in group chats to respect others’ time.

Despite occasional quirks from older relatives, messaging apps remain an excellent way to stay connected. Download Viber for your parents and grandparents — it supports group chats, text messaging, and audio/video calls on phones, tablets, and computers.

5. Stay Alert and Avoid Sharing Fake News

Messages from unknown senders urging you to “URGENTLY forward this!” often contain false information. Such sensational claims can spread panic, particularly among older generations, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before sharing, verify the source’s credibility, motives, and authenticity. When in doubt, don’t forward the message.

Beware of scam messages asking for money donations, especially those with emotional stories about a child’s medical treatment. Always confirm with the supposed sender directly before contributing. Never click on suspicious links, as they may contain malware.

6. Protect Your Personal Information

Never share sensitive data like your bank card number, PIN or CVV codes, passport details, login credentials, or passwords through messaging apps. Only provide such information in person to trusted contacts. Scammers often impersonate bank staff asking for confidential details — remember, legitimate banks never request this information via messages.

Also, avoid replying to strangers claiming they mistakenly used your phone number or asking for SMS verification codes. These are common tactics to gain unauthorized access to your accounts.

7. Use Greetings and Emojis Thoughtfully

Not everyone appreciates animated cards with glitter, roses, or kittens — they can feel outdated and clutter device storage. It’s unnecessary to announce every minor event in group chats. When celebrating important occasions, send personalized messages instead of generic cards to show genuine care.

Limit emoji use to one or two per message to express feelings effectively. For example, replace a simple heart emoji with a warm phrase like “Love you!” for a more heartfelt touch.

8. Stay in Group Chats and Avoid Spam

Leaving an inactive group chat can cause unnecessary disruption and may prompt others to leave as well, irritating those who remain. Instead, simply mute notifications if needed.

Repeatedly sending requests for likes or votes can annoy chat members. While occasional requests are acceptable, overdoing it might lead others to mute your messages. Respecting personal boundaries is key to healthy communication.

Viber offers a user-friendly platform to keep in touch with family. It supports group chats, photo sharing, voice messages, short video clips, audio and video calls, and even calls to non-Viber phone numbers. You can also enjoy fun stickers or create personalized sticker packs featuring your family.

Download Viber

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