Digital Life: How To Handle Mistaken Emails
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USA TODAY columnist Steven Petrow offers advice about digital etiquette.
Q: A friend of mine mistakenly copied me on an email to her doctor in which she reveals some grave medical information I had not been aware of. (My first name is the same as one of her other specialists.) I’ve also been copied on several subsequent emails. Should I pretend I never saw them, even though I am now aware of some incredibly personal information, or should I discreetly let her know of the error so that it doesn’t happen again — and so that the correct person can get the information?
– Kenneth W., New York City
A: If the content of these emails were scandalous – or just frivolous — in nature, I’d tell you to duck and cover, which is to say: Delete the emails and pretend you never read them. Sure, someone whose first name you share is missing out on his latest Perez Hilton update, but so what? There is no consequence.
In this situation, however, I’m certain that the intended recipient of those emails was copied for a reason and needs the information contained in it — especially in light of the “grave” medical situation. The best thing to have done would have been to email your friend immediately upon receipt of the first errant communication with a brief message reading: “I think the auto-fill feature in your email program substituted my name for that of your specialist. I wanted you to know that.”
Still, even at this juncture your action or inaction can make a difference: Raise your hand (metaphorically) and explain the mishap, adding: “I’m sorry to hear about your medical problems. Please let me know if I can help.” The important thing here is to remedy the problem, and without letting your friend know what happened there’s no way to do that, especially as it sounds like everyone else is just hitting “reply all.”
