An email has become so commonplace in homes and offices, it is now difficult for most of us to recall life without it. Email is a store and forward (S&F) Service where it is not necessary for the receiver to be present at the computer. Although email has transformed communication in some very useful ways, not all the changes that email has brought are positive. The message resides in the receiver’s mailbox until it is read or deleted. File, data, sound, image, or video clip can also be sent through email as an attachment.
Disadvantages of the email (Electronic Mail)
We know email is a recognized method of communication. Despite the host of benefits, there are certain weaknesses of email that you should be aware of, such as:
- Absence of privacy
Emails are less personal compared to many other forms of communication, such as talking over the phone or meeting face to face. There is a chance of leakage of information through email if a mail server is hacked.
- Lost password
You may lose or forgot your email login password. Though there is an option to recover a password that also needs another email address. And the last option is a security question that also should be reminded. Suppose if you lose both password and security questions it is very difficult to recover your email address though it is vastly important to you.
- Virus
An email may carry the virus to you. So, all the time you should care about it. Infected emails may come from an anonymous source or appear to come from a trusted friend or contact. It is one of the greatest disadvantages of email.
- No alert
Email does not give any alert like phone or mobile so, sometimes we can be late to see the important message.
- Spam
Although the situation has improved in recent times, there are still major problems with spam and unsolicited advertising arriving via email. It takes time and energy to control and can easily become overwhelming.
- Overlooking of message
Busy people may not give attention or may overlook any message due to receiving thousands of emails every day. Emails are a common target for hackers seeking sensitive information, such as financial, political, or personal messages or documents.
- Lack of personal touch
It cannot convey an emotion or personal touch the way a face-to-face conversation or even a phone call can.
- Misunderstandings
It is easy for misunderstandings to occur with email, as there is only text and no tone of voice or body language to provide context. Short descriptions and abbreviations can easily be misinterpreted.
- Missing of Non-verbal communication
Body movement or facial expressions are not involved in email. Emails can be sent anonymously, which means that they are sometimes used maliciously to bully or upset people. So, the quick attention of the receiver is not possible here.
- Change of sudden rumor
Email can spread rumors suddenly as it requires a click only to send a bad message to thousand receivers. Emails require constant organization and upkeep. Returning from vacation to find hundreds of unopened emails in your inbox is one of the worst feelings in the world.
- Unwanted email
Email can spread mail containing a virus or spam contents which can damage computer systems totally. It is relatively easy to make catastrophic mistakes with email by clicking the wrong button. For instance, you can accidentally send sensitive information to multiple people rather than just a single, intended recipient.
