The Postal Service is reminding employees to avoid reply-all email debacles.
It usually starts with an email addressed to you and a large number of other recipients.
Instead of responding directly to the sender, one of the recipients responds reply-all to everyone in the email distribution list. Another person does the same thing. Then another, setting off a chain reaction.
In moments, your inbox is flooded with dozens of unwanted email responses.
Annoyed, you respond by sending a reply-all email asking recipients to not reply-all. Another person does the same thing. Then another.
Soon, the email flood becomes a tsunami.
If you wind up in this situation, the CyberSafe at USPS team offers a simple yet effective solution: Stop replying.
When no one replies, the message tsunami will ebb, often within a few minutes.
Aside from being annoying, reply-all emails add unnecessary strain on the Postal Service’s email servers.
Additionally, employees who continue to reply-all risk having the organization restrict their email privileges.
If you must send an email message to many recipients, use the bcc — blind carbon copy — line, which prevents recipients from replying all.
Management Instruction AS-870-2019-1 Electronic Messaging has additional information.
