How can I ask a local mom's group to stop sending e-mail forwards?

Question

I am a member of a local homeschool group. Most of us have each other's email and I send out a monthly newsletter for the group. That is pretty much the only time I send emails to anyone unless I have a question or other business with the group. The problem is that a few of the other group members send forwards to our group. Some members of the group are also members of other groups and the result is that I will sometimes get 3 or 4 copies of the same email forward from different people, all in the group. I would really like to ask the group to NOT send email forwards to the homeschool group, but I don't want to upset anyone. I usually just delete them, but when I get multiple copies it get annoying. Should I suck it up and keep deleting or say something at our next meeting?

Answer 1

Dear Local Moms Group,

Please stop sending forwards to me because they're causing trouble with my email account.

Thank you, and have a good day.

Your name

Answer 2

If you say it, say it with a smile and maybe even a giggle. Let them know you've received 432 copies of the cute kitten picture, 37 copies of the skateboarding dog video, and 29 copies of the joke about the priest, the rabbi, and the the...what's the other guy?

Of course, you can let them know you want to use that email addy only for the homeschool group. You can even make up a different email address and give it to them to use for forwarding jokes, photos, etc. That way, if you get another one by somebody, you can reply with your alternate email with a nice note saying please forward there :)

WAYYYY better than having a full inbox!

Answer 3

This is something people can be very touchy about! For some reason people love those sentimental chain letter things and forward them on, although just as many people dislike them.

If you really dislike it, you could just say in conversation that you are concerned about computer viruses and have heard that these forwarded emails are a main way viruses are transmitted (this is true, btw), so you just delete them all! You could add that you're sorry if this means you miss out on anything, but your computer is your lifeline, and you only accept and send previously agreed emails for that reason.

The group can either take it or leave it.

Another way to do it would be to Reply to each sender, saying 'thank you for sending these email forwards, but I am concerned about my computer security. I know YOU would never knowingly send a virus but I have to be careful. Please only send me things from you personally, not forwarded messages".

Either way, you do risk offending someone, and that can be tough in a small group.

If it's just an annoyance, rather than an actual problem, you might be smarter jujst to keep deleting!

Good luck and best wishes :-)

Answer 4

You have already lied to her about the virus. Some of these, or most of these go completely unread you claim. Well, shame on you! You have a mother in law who sends prayers to you, woman, you should fall down on your knees and thank GOD!! I could not believe morgan's answer, they are not interesting and yet they have not even been read in the very next sentence. You should lighten up and just delete anything you do not want. To hurt anyone's feeling is not called for, and you cannnot ask them to stop without hurting their feelings! I suggest that you open up the prayers and read a few. You might find a blessing. Be appreciative, not smart alecky, thankful and not obstinate.

Answer 5

if the forwards annoy you then say something at your next meeting. Just say something like my email gets clogged with forwards so I would appreciate it if I'm not included on anyone's list.

Suggest something like printing off funny jokes and bringing them to the meeting for sharing say at the conclusion when a cuppa is offered. I print jokes out all the time and put them in plastic sleeves and pass them around. I find it's a good icebreaker when people have a laugh or two.

Answer 6

Maybe they could set up a different email list specifically for those moms who want to receive forwards. Like, have one that is for homeschool "business" and one that is just funny stuff or forwards, and you can opt out of that one.

Otheriwse, I would tell them that you are having email problems with all the forwards. Personally, with one of my emails (I have one specifically for "business" stuff -- really just non-forward non-junkmail stuff), I give it out and say "This is only for personal stuff." I just said that all the personal emails that I actually need to see for one reason or another were getting lost among the junk mail and forwards. And I made up a new address for forwards to be sent to.

I almost never check that one, but they don't have to know that.

Answer 7

An organization I'm in has a "business list" and a "social list." Everyone is on the business one because that is how important info (like your newsletter, etc.) is transmitted. The social one is more voluntary, like if you want to make more informal announcements or send funny things. Maybe you could say that in an effort to streamline the business aspect of the group, you'd like to split the list into two categories. Ask who'd like to be on the "social" list and create a listserv just for that (obviously you don't have to sign yourself up).

Answer 8

I E mailed some one once, in the same situation you're in. He wrote back, asking what was wrong. I just told him I receive too many E mails each day to be reading all of them. To my surprise, it stopped.

Answer 9

Use the Filtering Option

Answer 10

just tell them. i don't think it will upset them. i hate when people send all that forwarded stuff although i am occasionally guilty of it myself. e-mail all of them saying you're worried about viruses. it's a valid complaint.