Use BCC for group email messages
Monday December 01 2008 (tagged: webology)PLEASE READ and become a better E-mail user. This information is intended not only to help make you a better E-mail user, but also a more considerate and thoughtful one at that. Your friends will be thankful and if not... just know that I will be more thankful.
There's a Reason
Sometimes it's beneficial, even necessary, to let recipients know who else is receiving your email message. However, there are instances when you should send the same message to multiple recipients without letting everyone else know who is also receiving the message. If you are sending email on behalf of a business or organization, it may be important to keep lists of clients, members, or associates confidential.
The Writings on the Wall!!
Would you write your phone number on the the bathroom wall? No? That's a good analogy for what happens when you share private email addresses with groups of people, many of whom will CARELESSLY forward the same addresses to even more strangers.
Foward and Replies
When e-mail gets forwarded over and over again (as in the case of jokes, bulletins, prayer requests, articles that you find interesting, etc.) you never know where those e-mail addresses are going to land. Some less-than-honorable people will scoop up every e-mail address on every e-mail so they can send unsolicited e-mails to the list.
p0rn, little blue pills, and Headlines from Nigeria
And even if the recipient's of emails aren't harvesting email addresses themselves. Many people have computers infested with viruses, trojans, and ad-bots that harvest email info to perpetuate whatever it is that they are doing. Any email address listed in the email message body (not just the address fields) are at risk to become targets of abuse.
The Devil is the Details
Multiple recipients in email is NOT the problem per se it's all in how you address your message.
Proper use of the TO, CC, BCC fields
- TO Email addresses specified by the "TO" field can be seen by everyone that gets the message. Think of this as a "group" or "discussion" way to email when emailing more than one person.
- CC, or "carbon copy" is for sending to multiple recipients with the addresses still visible. This could be handy if you're in a group working on a project, and need to notify everyone of a change, and let the others know who has been notified.
- BCC, or 'blind' carbon copy, does essentially the same thing (multiple recipients) but hides the additional recipient list from view & everyone's privacy/security is maintained.
And in Closing
GROUP emails use “TO” or “CC” and “Reply All”
If you mean to send a SINGLE ONE-ON-ONE email, to many people, use the “BCC”... That’s what it’s for!!!
HOW TO:
Google for information:
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