How To Avoid Sending Emails That Get You in Trouble

Skip the sarcasm. Sure, you know you’re joking, but the recipient can’t hear your tone or see your smirk. In fact, one survey shows that 80% of sarcasm in an email is taken at face value. So save the comedy for your stand-up show.

Never dash off an email when you’re upset or angry. You’ll probably calm down in a little while, but your email will live for eternity. If you must write the email, don’t send it but save it as a draft for a certain period of time.

Remember the old saying, “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all?” This definitely applies to email! Save gossip for face-to-face communication.

Avoid forwarding offensive or dirty email jokes—or at least be selective about to whom you send them.

Think twice about forwarding chain letters, product warnings, and tearjerker tales. Most are urban legends and hoaxes, and some contain spyware and viruses. At best, you look like a dope for passing them on. At worst, you could destroy someone’s computer.

Never reveal anything personal or confidential about yourself or your company in an email. You might trust the recipient, but the information could always fall into the wrong hands accidentally. In general, don’t reveal anything you wouldn’t want the world to know.