The year was 1998. Computers were slowly taking over the world and in just two years (by the year 2000) my family would own a housecleaning robot, hover car, and a food replicater. In the meantime, I had discovered the World Wide Web and one of its greatest tools – email! In 1998 I opened my first email account with Hotmail. I had never been a letter writer, but email… it was cool, fun, and everyone was doing it. Not long after that, I discovered that not only was email beneficial for communication but you became privy to secret information.

For instance:
• Microsoft wants to share its wealth, and all I have to do is forward this email to all of my friends and in two weeks I’ll receive a check in the mail for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
• GAP wants to give me free pants!
• There’s virus that will eat my hard drive, take my money, and steal my mini-van.
• There’s a hidden code in Microsoft software that reveals Bill Gates as the anti-christ!
• If you really want to be blessed forward this (insert blessing, picture, or prayer here) to 25 friends within 1.5 seconds. If you don’t something really bad will happen.

As silly as these sound I have been sent these very emails, (with the exception of the mini-van part) dozens, if not hundreds of times in the last 9 years. Ever since Al Gore first created the internet and sent his first forwarded email (recognizable by the Fwd: in the subject line) there has been a need for discernment. Forwarded emails have ruined friendships, credibility, and started small wars.

So for those of you who are fully engaged in the world of email, I offer a few suggestions:
1. Think of email addresses the same way you would a phone number. You wouldn’t give out all of your friend’s phone numbers would you? When sending an email to more than one person, put your own email in the Two: line and enter the other email addresses in the BCC: section - which stands for ‘blind carbon copy’ (Why the carbon? I have no idea.) This hides all of the addresses in the email that is sent, protecting the privacy of your friends.

2. If a forwarded email sounds crazy, over the top, and you think everyone in the world should know about it - chances are it’s bogus. To check the validity of forwarded emails two excellent web resources are www.truthorfiction.com or www.snopes.com. Both of these sites research internet hoaxes and verify their credibility, or lack there of.

3. The third and last suggestion - do not send forwards! If it’s really necessary to send a regurgitated message along, then remove the Fwd: and put in your own subject line. If you don’t want people to automatically delete any email you send I recommend not sending them at all. I mean, how many credit card offers do you open? None. Fowarded emails are virtually the same.

For the sake of your relationships, I hope you take these few suggestions to heart. I could write a lot more but I have to email my banking information to my new friend in Nigeria so he can deposit money in my account.