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How many people wish that Google had introduced its newest feature much earlier? Probably all of us. After all, we've all hit "send" on an e-mail that we instantly wished we could pull back.
The "Undo Send" feature on Gmail has been available in the Labs section since 2009, but it is now featured as "formal setting" for the web version of Google, making it easily accessible to all Gmail users, Google announced this week.
Users can customize the feature so that the "Undo" option is available for five, 10, 20 or 30 seconds. Precious time if you've realized you've spelled a name incorrectly, or accidentally CC'd your boss in an exchange of office gossip.
For most people, "e-mail regret" results in minor embarrassment. But the gaffe has destroyed lives, ruined careers and generally wreaked havoc.
Even with Gmail's new option, you'll only have 30 seconds at most to right a wrong decision. And what if you don't use Gmail?
Keep these four examples of people we're betting wish they'd had an "Undo Send" button in mind to spare yourself ignominy, deep regret and the loss of your job.
Always double check links
Earlier this year, Lisa McElroy, a professor at the law school of Drexel University in Philadelphia, sent her students a seemingly innocuous e-mail. The subject line was, "Great article on writing briefs." But the link included was not to the aforementioned article. Instead, the link was to a very graphic Pornhub video. McElroy was reportedly placed on leave during an investigation into whether she violated the school's sexual harassment and misconduct policy.
Know who your reader is
Back in 2007, Philadelphia TV reporter Alycia Lane sent some racy e-mails that included photos of her in a bikini to Rich Eisen, an anchor for the NFL Network, according to the New York Post. Unbeknownst to her, Eisen shared the e-mail account with his wife, Suzy Shuster.
"Boy, do you look amazing in a bikini...Congrats!" Shuster wrote back. "Whatever you're doing, (Pilates? yoga?) keep doing it – it's working for you. Anyway, sorry but those seven e-mails you sent to my husband, Rich, well, oops, they came to the e-mail address we both use from time to time, but no worries, I'll forward the beach shots as well as the ones of you dancing with your friends on to his main address. Do you have it?"
Be careful what you're forwarding
Melanie Anderson and her partner, Eric Knisz, both worked for the same oil company in Scotland. One day, the two sent flirty e-mails about their love life to one another. At lunch time, Anderson sent an e-mail letting co-workers know the "Sandwich van is here." Except she pasted that note over the chain of flirty e-mails and CC'd it to the rest of the office. The e-mail chain went viral, with Twitter users around the world using the hashtag #sandwichvan. Anderson and Knisz both resigned following the incident, reported Mail Online.
The difference between "Reply" and "Reply All" can be the difference between keeping your job and losing your job
Emmanouil Katsampoukas was looking for a job, so he sent a form letter to 4,000 people, including Gary Chaplin, a recruitment executive.
"I think I speak for all 4,000 people you have e-mailed when I say, 'Thanks for your CV – it's nice to know you are taking this seriously,'" Chaplin responded. He went on to say, "Please f*** off... you are too stupid to get a job, even in banking."
Problem was, Chaplin hit "Reply All," thus sending his note to all 4,000 people on the original message.
Chaplin was forced to resign, reportedly losing a job that paid nearly $400,000 (U.S.) a year.
Editor's note: Drexel University was incorrectly named in the original version of this article.
Dave McGinn