Let’s acknowledge that anyone you email can forward your emails to others without your knowledge. So even though common sense and courtesy would include not forwarding your email to a third party without your permission, people do it anyway.
Recently, site visitors have reached out upset that someone they trusted, such as friends and family members, forwarded their emails to others without their knowledge. They understandably felt betrayed.
They found out after the fact. The person who received those emails ratted out the unscrupulous forwarder. Trust has been broken on all sides.
What You Forward and How, Speaks Volumes
Why would anyone forward emails sent to them to others without the original sender’s knowledge?
If you forward one person’s email to another to play one against the other, that’s called being manipulative.
If you have questions for one person based on another person’s comments, the right thing to do is type a new email with your concerns and address them to that person. Otherwise you look like you’re backstabbing.
Don’t forward without the other party’s knowledge with a “See what they said?” comment unless you want your trust factor to take a hit. Those you forward to will wonder, and rightfully so, if you are doing the same to them.
If you forward personal emails from one friend to another without the original sender’s permission to say, “Can you believe this?” you are not a friend—shame on you.
You forward jokes, silly forwards, or political commentary to everyone in your address book simply because you want to. How about don’t. If you cannot take the time to type a personal note to the person you are forwarding to because it applies specifically to them, don’t bother forwarding. Your contacts will appreciate this extra effort.
If you forward without comment, you will be perceived as lazy and demanding. What do you think it says about a person who cannot take the time to type a Hello, add a brief instruction, and include a TIA? Bossy, selfish, and discourteous?
If you forward emails that are not right for the workplace and think that putting NSFW (Not Safe For Work) in the subject takes you off the hook — it doesn’t. Doing so shows you have no respect for your job, employer, or those you are sending a message to. Nice…
If you think those whose emails you forward will never find out, don’t count on it. Your forwards can be forwarded back to them without your knowledge. Paybacks a…
Worth the Effort
Every effort you make online or feel is unnecessary will determine what others think of you. So think carefully about how, what, when, and who you forward to.
By reading my Blog shows you care about Email Etiquette (Netiquette) and are interested in “communicating with knowledge, understanding, and courtesy.” That’s been my tagline…
