Passing on those emails? What's the Harm? Hmmmm.....

Woodmonkey · 03-05-2005, 12:20

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So, What's The Harm In Forwarding This Stuff Anyway?

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Did you know that much of the email we receive on a daily basis is based upon lies, rumors, myths, and urban legends? The following types of messages usually contain lies:

•inspirational stories presented as true stories
•virus warnings
•pleas to help sick or dying children by forwarding email
•messages that say that you can get money or gift certificates for forwarding email
•email petitions
•cautionary tales of kidnappings or abductions
•health scares or caution about using particular products
•tales of vast conspiracies

Many well-meaning people forward these type of messages on a daily basis without a second thought. So, what's wrong with that? Plenty

1. It hurts our Christian witness. A lie is a lie. A half truth is a lie. A so-called white lie is a lie. If we truly know THE TRUTH Himself, shouldn't that make us truthful? "...and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." 2 Tim. 4:4 "Therefore, put away lying, 'let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,' for we are members of one another." Eph. 4: 25

2. It harms REAL people, organizations and companies. Just ask actress Cindy Williams, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Tommy Hilfiger, the United States Congress or even an average person:

A fellow at MIT by the name of Cindy Williams writes an article about military pay raises vs. civilian pay raises. A young airman writes a rebuttal letter. Someone who has not read the original article and does not know what it really says reads the airman's letter and jumps to the conclusion that any woman by the name of Cindy Williams must be the actress of Laverne & Shirley fame. This person begins an email campaign against actress Williams. Williams, who says she is very patriotic, is deluged by hate mail and her patriotic reputation ruined. What's the harm?

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has been the target of several hoaxes claiming that they will give money to a sick or dying child if people forward email. They get loads of phone calls from concerned people wanting to verify the message. Paula Van Ness, the President and CEO, says that these hoaxes are a drain on their staff. "These calls divert our staff and resources from fulfilling existing wishes." What's the harm?

The phony congressional bill 602P that claims there will be a 5 cent tax on all email has been a major headache for U.S. Congressional representatives for over 3 years. According to THE STANDARD in 2000, Wendy Darwell, who is a spokesperson for Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), says that their office was getting 50 - 100 messages per day about this "bill." She said that there were times when the volume reached 700. In 1999, Congressman John McHugh (R-NY) said that he received more calls on this "bill" than on any other issue except the impeachment of President Clinton. This is a waste of our tax dollars.* What's the harm?

According to LA Weekly, Bruce Huges, an anti-virus lab manager at the International Computer Security Association, believes that virus hoaxes cause more damage than the real thing. He says that in some cases, entire company email systems have have collapsed after dozens of users forwarded false alerts to everyone else in the system (wonder how it's bearing up with the onslaught of spam?). What's the harm?

Several clothing companies have been harmed by false rumors of racism. The latest victim was Tommy Hilfiger. Emails claimed that he appeared on various talk shows and claimed he did not want minorities wearing his clothing. Liz Claiborne got the same treatment. Troop Sport actually went under after persistent rumors by email that they were owned by the KKK. The owners were Jewish and Korean! Liz Claiborne, McDonalds and Proctor and Gamble were all claimed to be Satanist companies or Satanist owned and run at one time or another. The Procter and Gamble rumor was started by an overly ambitious Amway representative in the 1980's. The rumor was sent to churches and copied and recopied so many times that it was practically unreadable. Thousands and thousands of church members boycotted P & G over a lie. What's the harm?

Thousands of people (especially elderly people) have been frightened over the persistent "Klingerman Virus" rumor. This rumor claimed that a virus that had already killed people was being mailed to people in an blue envelope (this was pre-9/11) and that the government was keeping it quiet to avoid a panic! Even after 9/11, when it became quite clear that every little possibility of anthrax letters got national attention, people were still frightened. One lady in a senior housing area said that although she posted the true information, people did not believe it. What's the harm?

3. People you do not know (some of them spammers) are given access to your email address through forwarded email. Internet Scambusters says, "If a spammer gets a hold of one of those, do you think they won't grab every address in the message? (We've seen one case in which a message had been forwarded so many times as attachments that it included over 1,100 addresses!) Internet Scambusters, Issue 41, January 18, 2001. Hoaxbusters says that some spammers are deliberately starting chain letters and hoaxes to gather email addresses. What's the harm?

4. Hoax letters may frighten people. I've already detailed what happened with the Klingerman Virus hoax. A similar hoax was started after 9/11 which said that poison was being mailed to people in perfume samples. Other messages offer scary tales of abductions, kidnappings, robberies and unsafe places. What's the harm?

5. You may harm your own computer! Two messages that began in 2001, asked people to delete files, claiming that the files were actually viruses that anti-virus software could not detect. Without any proof, without any articles, without a shred of evidence that the message was true, thousands of people did exactly as they were told. It turned out that the files were necessary Windows system files! What's the harm?

6. You could endanger the lives of others. Some of these forwarded messages contain very bad medical advice. One message said that coughing during a heart attack could save your life. It turns out that this is true ONLY with one type of heart attack and it should only be done under medical supervision. Following the advice in the email could cause death! What's the harm?

SO, WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

I hope it's crystal clear now that forwarding hoax email is not a harmless past time. I got started doing this because when I first got on the internet, a Christian lady I knew began forwarding me messages that I knew could not be true. I began to look up information on the messages, then to send her the true information. After a few truthful replies, the lady became upset. She claimed that she didn't believe all that stuff, but that she just sent them on "for fun." She offered to remove me from her list rather than give up forwarding these hoaxes.

Friends, there is nothing fun or funny about this business of forwarding hoax email. Check it out before sending it on it's way.

Click here for the source of this story

Snowden · 03-05-2005, 16:15

Thanks for putting this here, Katie. One type of email I find annoying is the continuous petition, which was mentioned but not explained.

I get these petitions, sometimes showing signatures of over 900 people, saying when it reaches a certain number, usually 1000 to forward it to a certain address. The first think I test is the forwarding address - usually it's fake or dead. Then I look at the names, realizing that most all of these signers have signed, then sent this petition to everybody in their address - there are thousands of copies of this message with the same names up to the point where that person mailed out the petition.

And when the thousands receive the 1000th signature and are send to the address given, they will not be delivered. That one person (in each case, literally thousands of people) will receive a notice that the message cannot be delivered.

Unless a petition is official and comes from an official source, it is patently worthless and a waste of time, money, and whatever else is involved. I delete so much that starts with "Do not delete this...." or "Send this to everybody in your Address Book..." two instant clues that it's a hoax. Sometimes these things are well-meaning. That's no excuse.

USA11B · 03-05-2005, 16:43

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Originally Posted by Snowden

I delete so much that starts with "Do not delete this...."

About 99 times in a 100 that will get deleted. It would be 100% if curiosity did not win out some of the time!

conlor · 03-05-2005, 17:48

I don't care for those either, Marianne, and there seem to be a lot lately. Another one I don't like is the one where if you do or don't forward it to 10 people within 15 minutes, something bad/good will happen to you. Something bad or good is going to happen anyway. I have to admit, unless it's really cute or funny, I'll return it to the person who sent it but not forward it on. I don't want to do that to people I like, but if I don't return it, like it says, the original sender will think I don't like them. If it's something I'd like to share, I delete the threats. I wish others would do that for me too.

Woodmonkey · 03-06-2005, 13:13

Those are all annoying, but the ones that get me the most are the emails that make the rounds that are full of half truths, innuendoes and hyperbole. Those also never give any links to evidence that back up all the accusations they make.

Bluehawk · 03-06-2005, 14:18

What is worse is when governments intentionally do this, and they do it pretty constantly.