The "BCC" Feature of Email

The article discusses how the "blind carbon copy" (BCC) feature in email, while intended for privacy and efficiency, often leads to user experience (UX) problems and email etiquette failures.

• The author argues that while BCC itself is not inherently bad, the way it's implemented creates problems.
• BCC is often used for emailing large groups, where "reply all" responses can become overwhelming.

How the Author Uses BCC

The author explains their own uses of BCC, which are generally considered acceptable:

• Emailing a list for an event to prevent "reply all" chaos.
• Emailing a list where disclosing other email addresses is not appropriate.
• Letting someone know they've received an introduction without obligating them to accept.
• Using BCC to keep someone out of scheduling follow-up emails.

The Problem with Responding to BCC Emails

The central issue highlighted in the article is that recipients who are blind copied can still reply to the email, creating potential for awkward situations.

• When someone blind copied responds, other recipients realize that person was not originally included in the email.
• This can lead to confusion and the perception of poor etiquette, particularly in professional settings.

Why This Is A UX Fail

The author criticizes email providers like Microsoft Outlook for not addressing the issue of accidental BCC replies.

• It's suggested that email services should implement functionality to disallow replies when a person is BCC'd.
• This would prevent embarrassing mistakes and improve the overall UX for email users.

Workarounds for BCC Problems

The author shares their workarounds for BCC issues, highlighting the lack of a better solution:

• BCC'ing themselves and then forwarding emails to the intended recipients.
• Using third-party plugins like Subtextual, which aims to address the problem.

The Need for Product Management Improvements

The article concludes by emphasizing the need for product management improvements in email services to address the BCC issue.

• It's argued that there are no legitimate use cases where someone BCC'd should be able to reply.
• The lack of a solution indicates a failure to understand and address user experience (UX) needs in email.