Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Send to group as bcc

more options

New European regulations (GDPR) require the use of BCC when emailing a group. This needs to be error proof as the cost of a mistake could be serious. The present system relies on me remembering to select BCC each time I write to the group.

Use BCC instead sounds OK, but I'm reluctant to use an add-in, as updates to TB could make it fail. And if I'm relying on it and suddenly it doesnt work..

Is there some way that I can create an address list so that when I write to that list it will ALWAYS use BCC? The contact data in the address book has about 50 fields, is there no way to set the preferred type of addressing?

I've read other replies to similar questions but none give the confidence in security that I'm seeking.

New European regulations (GDPR) require the use of BCC when emailing a group. This needs to be error proof as the cost of a mistake could be serious. The present system relies on me remembering to select BCC each time I write to the group. Use BCC instead sounds OK, but I'm reluctant to use an add-in, as updates to TB could make it fail. And if I'm relying on it and suddenly it doesnt work.. Is there some way that I can create an address list so that when I write to that list it will ALWAYS use BCC? The contact data in the address book has about 50 fields, is there no way to set the preferred type of addressing? I've read other replies to similar questions but none give the confidence in security that I'm seeking.

Chosen solution

There is a version of the Use Bcc Instead add-on that works in TB 60 (use_bcc_instead_A) and also one for TB 64+ (use_bcc_instead_C):

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=14818281#p14818281

https://github.com/revad/use_bcc_instead_A

If you prefer a manual approach, create a template with all 50 contacts added as Bcc. Of course, that works only for that list, and doesn't automatically use Bcc for other lists or one-off messages.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (8)

more options

If you have read the replies you have the answers. We don't just invent these answers.

Personally I think the GDPR is a request for business and groups to lift their game and simply stop sending mail to list of people. The mail merge add-on does the job by sending individual emails to each recipient. The in exact no chance of having issues with using the list of each person get an individual email. You also get a copy of each email, where with BCC you really have no idea who the mail was sent to. Especially if the list is changed after the mail is sent, or it is sent through Google who do not store the BCC recipients of sent mail.

more options

Chosen Solution

There is a version of the Use Bcc Instead add-on that works in TB 60 (use_bcc_instead_A) and also one for TB 64+ (use_bcc_instead_C):

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=14818281#p14818281

https://github.com/revad/use_bcc_instead_A

If you prefer a manual approach, create a template with all 50 contacts added as Bcc. Of course, that works only for that list, and doesn't automatically use Bcc for other lists or one-off messages.

more options

Creating a template has solved lots of issues - it also defaults to tml while my normal email is set to plain text. I only have three mailing lists so a template for each is easy. Thanks sfhowes

more options

johnlerrington said

Creating a template has solved lots of issues - it also defaults to tml while my normal email is set to plain text. I only have three mailing lists so a template for each is easy. Thanks sfhowes

johnlerrington said

Creating a template has solved lots of issues - it also defaults to tml while my normal email is set to plain text. I only have three mailing lists so a template for each is easy. Thanks sfhowes

sfhowes said

There is a version of the Use Bcc Instead add-on that works in TB 60 (use_bcc_instead_A) and also one for TB 64+ (use_bcc_instead_C): http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=14818281#p14818281 https://github.com/revad/use_bcc_instead_A If you prefer a manual approach, create a template with all 50 contacts added as Bcc. Of course, that works only for that list, and doesn't automatically use Bcc for other lists or one-off messages.

REPLY/COMMENT

I have realised that anything you do, to send an email to comply with Data Protection, is only as good as the recipients email software. THis means somebody can receive your email and it will display all the BCC contents, or the email can be forwarded or reply all and all names and emails are displayed.

It happens, because I have had complaints, the email is sent to myself and received exactly as expected, and a reply all showed every BCC name and address.

So a solution I require must consider these situations.

I have set up a listing using the address book and the Help website. As I understand the listing once set up, will include amendments if the sidebar is removed and opened again, ensuring you select the address books required. Show side panel in the email window by going to view / contacts to sidebar and set address book(s) to be used. Select email addresses to be used and press the visual button for BCC.

The next action is to use a different reply email address, which can be set up in 'view settings for this account'.

These actions mean, as I understand, that a listing of 400 BCC addresses will result in 400 individual emails that only have the email address of the recipient in the BCC. Any email addresses included in the To section will show on all emails.

The different reply address, as I understand, removes the Forward and Reply All buttons and creates a break with the email sent.

I would like any comments on what I have said.

more options

Some mail providers may not support Bcc sent through 3rd-party email programs like TB, although they allow it with webmail. As with all such privacy features, test the Bcc feature with your provider before sending critical mail. In addition, check your provider's limits on the number of contacts in a mailing list; a limit of 100 per message is typical.

Consider using a tool like Mail Merge to avoid possible limitations of Bcc.

more options

Thanks sfh its working fine and only around 30 members so not a problem.

spar1742; can you give me more details? I've checked this in Thunderbird - my default email client - and even viewing the source there is none of the bcc info. I've also done some searches and found references to this from a decade ago but none recently. Reply all only replies to the disclosed recipients and sender.

https://askleo.com/how_do_i_view_the_list_of_bcced_recipients_on_an_email_ive_received/

more options

bcc information does not get transmitted with the email. Using bcc would be pointless if the BCC folks details were included. You could hardly claim they are "Blind" if you listed them anywhere in the actual source of the email.

When Thunderbird sends an email including BCC then the copy in the sent folder includes the BCC list. If it was not there there would be nothing for the server to use to address the mail it was given.

In the case of IMAP mail accounts sometime the mail server will remove the BCC list as that is not included it the sent folder on the server. This is completely provider dependent and is not in any way related to what mail client you use. Like so many things in email there is no "this is" there is only "there might be dependent on your provider". How many recipients can be included in an email?, How large can an attachment be?, How long does it take to deliver an email are just some examples of things that depend on the mail provider rather than the mail client. Be that client Thunderbird, outlook, postbox, The Bat! or any other.

more options

Hi Matt - yes that agrees with my findings. Thanks for confirming