Email forwards

In the broader sense, you shouldn’t look at email any differently then you look at blogging. Just stick it in your head that once you email anything out, it’s not your property anymore, it can be forwarded around the world with all of your info added to it. Have you heard the tale of Jonas L Blank (who talked glibly about a financial deal), Claire Swire (who emailed her buddy about a yummy treat), Jacqueline Kim (who sent out an email about a first date with Casey O’Brien that went around the world) or Peter Chung (who told about his pad of conquest in Korea)? How about the guy who originally sent out the Abu Ghraib photos by email, do you think he thought about the storm he was about to unleash? Ask any of these guys, you don't want to become famous though an email forward.

Here is my little lesson in Internet Courtesy, when you forward an email, try not forwarding emails that can get you into trouble, contain personal information or get anyone in trouble who is in the body of the email. If you can’t help yourself and do decide to forward such things, strip it of personal information of the people who sent it to you such as the addresses and signatures.

One thing about a really funny email? After leaving your inbox, that email is like a powerful flu, you send it out and it spreads like wildfire. Everyone you send it too sends it too all of their friends. Even I’ve been caught in that trap and if I forward something, it’s good and probably still floating about with my name at the very bottom. Considering most people don’t have a clue about internet courtesy and just forward emails, imagine thousands if not millions of people getting that email with your name and sometimes signature with phone number at bottom of it.

While some complain that blogging is sending out your personal information out to the world. In reality, most people don’t read blogs but they do check their inbox and don't your emails contain your real name? Do you have that buddy who forwards everything? I know I do. And I personally know at least 15 people that have sent embarrassing emails to a command wide mailing list.

So be careful about what you write and what you forward.