I accidentally used "to" instead of "bcc"

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Forum -> Computers, Phones and Devices

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bigsis144

Fri, Apr 15 2011, 1:53 am

I'm incredibly embarrassed and slightly terrified... HELP!

I was doing an eblast for a company I work for, and since Gmail won't let you send to more than 500 addressees in a single shot, and I had 1,500 contacts on the mailing list, I was doing it in batches.

Late at night, very exhausted.

It's basic netiquette to bcc everyone's addresses in such an email, so as not to share everyone's emails with each other. BASIC NETIQUETTE. And I mostly got it right... except I realized that for everyone K thru M, I accidentally used "to" instead of "bcc". I'm sure many people will get the email and be concerned that now their email address is "out there", or that I shared personal contact information.

I want to send an apology email, as well as apologize to my boss. Any advice??? I'm mortified.

HindaRochel

Fri, Apr 15 2011, 3:13 am

Honestly, I would leave it as most people may not even notice and if you send something out people may. If someone writes to you and expresses dismay you might want to write back something along the lines of
"I apologize, you have the right to be upset. I accidentally used the wrong reply format and as a result you (and those who names start with K-M) received a "cc" rather than a "bcc". I cannot apologize enough."

And let it go...sweetie, you were tired, these things happen. Don't let it ruin Pesach for you.

You can write a quick message to your boss asking if there is anything you could do or should do and apologize to him/her for the mix up.

But don't let it ruin your Yom Tov.

I really do think it will be okay...

amme

Fri, Apr 15 2011, 9:56 am

I have done that a few times as well. each time I am horrified. what I did was before I had time to dwell on it and make myself feel more embarrassed I told my boss what happened and apologized and left it up to him if he wanted me to do anything about it. he told me just to leave it and to be more careful next time- and it was over. but yuck those kind of mistakes are not fun.

amme

Fri, Apr 15 2011, 9:58 am

o and

bigsis144

Fri, Apr 15 2011, 10:08 am

Thanks for the sympathy. I really appreciate it. Smile

Since it was a good 200 people on the list (who'd have to scroll through ALL those names to get to the message part of the email), I didn't feel comfortable just leaving it, so I sent out this follow-up email (bbc'd this time!):

Quote:

Dear ----------- Friends,

I am terribly embarrassed and want to apologize for sending out the ------------- email with your names in the "To" column instead of "Bcc". I am sorry if this compromised your privacy in any way, and promise not to let this happen in the future.

Sincerely,
----- -----, webmaster

I got 2 "Hey, don't worry about it" responses, and one request to be removed from the mailing list. Not as catastrophic as it seemed at 2am, baruch Hashem.

Yocheved84

Fri, Apr 15 2011, 2:46 pm

I got an e-mail like this from a professional the other day. And the **best** thing he did? He sent out an apology. So definitely send out an apology. It's not a big deal--it happens to everyone, but it makes you look responsible and human. Ignoring the 500 person e-mail blast will be annoying to people, but an acknowledgment will make people smile and say "no problem!"

BUT WHEN APOLOGIZING, USE BCC!! Smile

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