Hate is a very strong word, I know. Maybe I should use the word "despise," or "never look forward to," or "wish I could avoid." "What is it?" You ask. Forwarded emails. Yes, I can't stand them. I especially don't care for emails that have been mass-forwarded. Likely, I have gotten the email before, it is an urban legend, or it is very outdated. I like to look up these "PLEASE READ THIS NOW AND SEND IT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW" forwards on websites like snopes.com: a website that researches urban myths and other mass emails. Snopes.com has reliable and relevant links to the sources. The emails I research usually turn out to be urban legends, or like the one I got today, it is almost a year old and has been spread way too much.
Exception: I don't mind getting a silly email from a friend or family member that they think I would really like. AND it was sent to me and other people I know, OR the sender has used the "blind carbon copy"(BCC) feature in the email. (This is the way you send out a mass email, but the receiver won't be able to see the other email addresses to which the email was sent.)
So, in the end, my advice is, do your research before you mass email everyone in your address book, and if you do feel the need (or you just can't hold back because of the hilarity of something -- I know it does happen), then use the blind carbon copy feature so that you don't inadvertently pass along email addresses that don't want to be passed.
Thanks for listening.
That was a great post. I've been thinking about this a lot lately because I realized people are passing around my email address by putting all the addresses in the "to" line. I admit I've done it too...because I was uneducated about the bcc line. But once I learned I was so glad I knew and wished I could tell everyone!!!
ReplyDeleteWould you mind if I copy your post and post it on my blog as well? or link to yours? I'll do whichever you prefer.
Nora Lee,
ReplyDeleteEither way is fine with me. I don't have a problem with a link or with you just copying and pasting. Pass the word along, and let's educate people about it.
I really do HATE those forwarded emails too. I couldn't agree with you more. Now forward this comment on to 5 of your friends and then your crush will like you...
ReplyDeleteSo what's your opinion of those Recipe exchange emails? I get them and they sit around forever while I decide if I can bring myself to forward it to x number of friends. I don't have a problem sharing recipes, just spamming people.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think people should realize that sending out mass emails with a ton of email addresses visible in the To field just makes it easy for Trojans and viruses to harvest them. SOMEBODY on the list is bound to have them.
I tried that recipe thing once, and I never once got anything back. I won't do it again. The next time I do a recipe exchange it will be with a ward or some friends or family so I know that I'll get something from it. I figure it's another chain mail/spam thing.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I totally agree with you. After my husband showed me snopes I realized how false almost all of those emails are. Sometimes I feel bad letting the sender know it was false, but I try to make it a point to let people know they can research email validity before they forward stuff.
ReplyDelete