Public Services and Procurement Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Important notice

Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.

For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!

Search Canada.ca
To begin your search, go to the alphabetical index below and click on the first letter of the word you are searching for.

email: disadvantages of email

Electronic mail can be received only by those who are connected to a local area network or the Internet.

Despite advances in ensuring the privacy of electronic communications, email is still easy to intercept and to forge, especially when coming across another network. Not all messages received can be assumed to be genuine. Do not send confidential or sensitive messages by email.

A basic level of computer literacy is required for people to take full advantage of the electronic medium. Email is also more impersonal than traditional correspondence.

Note

When including attachments with your message, you should ensure that the recipient will be able to understand the format used.