Don’t Brush Off Email Privacy

Do you show a blatant disregard for your contact’s privacy? For example, do you send group emails with long lists of addresses visible in the To: or Cc: fields? Is the only thing the list of folks has in common is you?

You Should Guard Contacts Privacy

We’ve all had this happen to us. We receive messages or forwarded emails from business contacts. We then notice that we are listed along with those they send to in the To: or Cc: field. By doing this, they are exposing our email addresses to strangers.

Some have commented that this is “no big deal” since business emails are public. Therefore, no no harm, no foul.

Another excuse I’ve been given is, “we all want as much exposure for our businesses that we can get, right?” Wrong. This assumes that exposing our contact’s email addresses to strangers is good for their business.

Not Your Decision to Make

Email addresses are a bit different in that spam starts flowing in once they are circulated. Speaking for myself, I don’t want anyone to publish my email address on my behalf.

Of course, this doesn’t include meetings, agendas, plans, or collaboration emails. Where a handful of folks need to know who is involved, this makes sense. They have either talked on the phone or know the group involved in the mailing under previous conversations.

Exposing contact information without permission is not proper email etiquette or business courtesy. As a general guideline, when you have a long list of contacts, use the BCc. This keeps your email professional in appearance and avoids the risk of unappreciated exposure.

Issues of Concern

Your contacts most likely do not appreciate exposing their addresses to those they do not know without their permission. However, just because they have not said anything doesn’t mean that it’s untrue.

Those who have been on the receiving end by being included in a list of visible emails have two issues of concern:

Never assume you can contact visible addresses about unrelated issues, topics, or ventures just because the sender makes those addresses visible (due to not respecting everyone’s privacy) in an email.

When sending to a group of business onliners, put your email address in the To: field and your list of addresses in the BCc: field to protect those email addresses from unnecessary exposure.

Where is the BCc:?

Many comment that they don’t know where to find the BCc: in their email programs. There’s an article for that…

In the email program I use, PostBox (highly recommended), I can easily engage the BCc: field from a drop-down box to input email addresses. Although to be honest, I don’t even remember the last time I did so.

However, for other software and web-based sites, quickly search for BCc: in the help area or check your software provider’s online knowledge base so you know where and how to use the BCc: on future group mailings.

Protecting your contact’s privacy is something those you communicate with will undoubtedly appreciate. Wherever BCc: may hide, find it, and use it!