| Essentially all email programs give you three | | | | their email addresses in the bcc (blind carbon copy) |
| addressing options: | | | | slot on the email. And for the youngsters reading this |
| To:cc:bcc: | | | | article, BCC is a term left over from the days when |
| The "To" option is obvious and in general, so is the cc | | | | everything was paper. |
| option, but in case there's any question about the latter, | | | | 2. The second one cuts down on everyone's |
| it is intended to be used for the people you are | | | | aggravation (and why would you want to aggravate |
| including in the message but for whom you may not | | | | people?) When you are corresponding with a group of |
| be requesting any action or response. In most | | | | colleagues, members of a committee, participants in a |
| instances, the person (or persons) in the "To" line are | | | | workshop, or any other group (some of whom may |
| the ones from whom you expect some kind of | | | | not know the 'rules') always put the emails in the bcc |
| response. | | | | line. That prevents others from hitting Reply and then |
| The purpose of this article is to clarify the use of the | | | | having this huge group of emails that show up at the |
| bcc option. This is the line that can be misused and is | | | | top of the reply. Also, with most email programs, but |
| often misunderstood, which is the reason the bcc | | | | not all, if someone hits "Reply All," it only replies to |
| option has gotten a bad name. Unfortunately, some | | | | those in the To and CC lines, not those in the BCC line. |
| people don't behave like grown-ups (my judgment) and | | | | It can quickly become aggravating if you have sent out |
| so they use the bcc line when they are either trying to | | | | a query about something minor, such as "Should we |
| cover their rear ends by letting others know what they | | | | have coffee at our next meeting? Let me know." and |
| are emailing or are in some other way are not being | | | | then everyone hits Reply All and everyone gets |
| 'up front' about what they are doing, writing, or sending. | | | | everyone else's reply to this question. One email from |
| So, pretty much, I recommend AGAINST using the bcc | | | | you can result in scores of emails in everyone's in-box. |
| line for this. Let's all try to be adults. | | | | You are not the popular person (nor are those who hit |
| However, there are times that I highly recommend | | | | Reply All and thought everyone would be interested in |
| using the bcc line (and when people do not pay | | | | their coffee vote. |
| attention to these recommendations, they look | | | | So, whether you want to make sure you look |
| unaware and unprofessional). | | | | professional and help protect everyone's email security |
| | | | or you want to abstain from aggravating others, use |
| 1. This first one is key in this day and age of people | | | | the BCC line. |
| being overwhelmed with emails (and the scammers | | | | Note: When you use a system (like a shopping cart |
| and spammers who try to harvest email addresses), | | | | system) to send out your emails, everyone's emails |
| so please attend to this one - and let your friends and | | | | are not viewable, but when you use Outlook (or other |
| colleagues know about it as well. When you are | | | | similar programs), then it's easy for everyone to see |
| sending out an email to multiple folks (especially those | | | | everyone else's name if you are not using the BCC |
| who have subscribed or registered for something, but | | | | line. |
| also friends, family, or other large groups), always put | | | | |