Is forwarding funny emails bad Email Etiquette?
It depends on how you do it and your intent. First, you should ask yourself two questions:
The reality is sometimes the other side may not agree with your sense of humor. And when that happens, we could have misunderstandings or cause harm to relationships.
Humorous Emails: Eye of the Beholder
Who doesn’t have friends who occasionally (or habitually) forward emails with jokes that they find funny? If you are like me, I don’t mind the jokes when they match my sense of humor or a topic I find humorous.
The thing is, if you know me, you know what I’ll find funny. What is one to think when you receive a supposedly funny email and don’t believe it is humorous?
“Why did they think I would find this funny?” Guess they don’t know me as well as I thought they did. Or, they aren’t thinking about me at all — it’s all about just forwarding.
I’ll be honest; it does bug me when the only communications I get from some folks are jokes they forward—no message from the sender.
Just a forward. That tells me they aren’t thinking about me with that forward — I’m just on a list.
Add insult to injury; my email address is visible in the Cc: field with a bunch of folks I don’t know. You then have the incorrect forwarding trifecta.
- Forwarding without comment.
- Forwarded emails are the only ones I receive.
- Exposing my email address to those I don’t know.
What then becomes a real pain is when several different people have re-forwarded the funny part before being forwarded to me. I have to wade through all the jargon to get to the funny.
Not worth it. Delete.
Is there a right way to forward email jokes?
Yepper! Just forwarding any email without comment or down-editing your email (removing all the other stuff besides the joke) is lazy. So add a comment about why you are forwarding and remove all the jargon.
Simple.
This goes for emails that are not humorous as well. Down-editing your email replies and forwards is about courtesy and clarity.
If you want to share an email with friends, removing unnecessary portions reflects consideration. This includes ensuring everyone’s email address is in the BCc: field so it is not visible to folks they may not know.
Don’t relinquish privacy in your zeal to forward that funny email that had you ROFL.
Respecting Privacy is Important Too
A big misconception is that if someone sends you an email with others’ email addresses visible, it is alright just to click forward and expose those addresses. It wasn’t your decision to reveal those addresses in the first place, so it’s not your responsibility to remove them.
Wrong. You continue the irresponsible exposure of everyone’s addresses without editing them. Not cool.
Chances are the other visible addresses, if asked, would not want their email address broadcasted further. Don’t you feel the same way?
Do them a favor, even if their “friends” neglected to. Remove any visible email addresses before you forward the joke to those you know.
This is one of those things that, while no one may notice, is the right thing to do. Plus, you are then leading by example.
Sharing Humor Responsibly
So feel free to send those funny emails that you know your contacts would chuckle over. Considering the minuscule effort involved, just be sure to do it the right way.
Good email habits reflect courtesy for those you email and make communicating with you pleasurable. Don’t put that in jeopardy by forwarding things others may not find all that funny.
