Thursday, October 9, 2008

Return this post to me via USPS

E-mail disclaimers are an annoying waste of bandwidth. Except for attorney-client or NDA communications, the disclaimers add nothing to an e-mail. Some businesses feel they are required and so they mandate that all e-mail sent through their system should be tagged with these blurbs. I usually just laugh when I read them, but I recently got this one (posted to a public mailing list, mind you) and couldn't just ignore it:
This message is intended for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed and may contain information which is privileged, confidential and extempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this messsage is not the intended recipient or the agent respossible for the delivering the message to the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you are received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and return the original message to our address above via the U.S. Postal Service.
Thank you
Once you get past how poorly the boilerplate translates into the actual situation (an e-mail sent to a mailing list with several hundred people on it) and the clear misspellings and grammar errors, you find the hilariously impossible final statement. "If you are (sic) received this communication in error," you are directed to return the message to them via USPS! Should it be printed first, or should I put it on a floppy? 5.25" should do just fine. Certified mail or simply First Class? To which address exactly should I send this message? (There is no address in the e-mail, nor phone number.)

We need to lead a coalition to stop lawyers from ruining e-mail.

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