You gave my email address to the entire city!

 

Ever receive an email message from someone that contains dozens (or even hundreds) of email addresses in the CC field? I know I have. In fact there doesn't seem to be a week goes by here in New Bedford when I don't receive one of these emails.

Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I object to receiving the emails (oftentimes it's from one of our city's very worthy not for profit organizations getting the word out on a project, or a fund raiser etc.), but I don't like seeing my email address included in plain sight the CC field where every other recipient can harvest it and add it to their address books.

 

Imagine this scenario: I have an unpublished phone number and you give it to others without my permission. You know that's not cool - you'd never do that. But did you realize that including my email address in your outbound email CC field is in effect giving my address to everyone on your list.

Ever wonder why your email inbox gets so much email? The above scenario is one of the contributing factors.

 

Sending Broadcast Emails without showing all addresses in the CC field: Enter the email addresses in the BCC field. The BCC field is different from CC (Carbon Copy). BCC means Blind Carbon Copy. You can still send a mailing out to all of your address book simultaneously, but no one recipient will see another recipient's address.

 

In Outlook 2003 (your email program might offer this feature in a different place) the BCC field can be switched on by following these steps:

 

1) In Outlook, create a new email message.

2) When that new message window opens, click on the OPTIONS button at the top of the new message window.

3) Select the BCC option. The BCC field will now appear at the top of every new message that you create.

 

Easy as pie. Now everyone in New Bedford will love you again!

Paul Allen

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Paul Allen is president of New Bedford Internet, a leading web site design and development company and an IT technology solution provider. Paul is also founder of NewBedford360.com, New Bedford's community web site.

A long time advocate of technology, particularly the internet, Paul is committed to helping individuals and organizations in the Southcoast Massachusetts communities of New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fall River, Westport, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett and beyond, find their voice (and customers) on the internet.

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