You can send copies of an email to more than one person using either "cc" or "bcc." But have you ever thought about what the letters mean? Or do you avoid both because you're unsure what the difference is between cc and bcc? We explain when to utilize cc and bcc and their origins.
What is the Difference Between CC and BCC In Email?
CC stands for "carbon copy." It's a field in the email's body that lets you send a copy of the email to other people. People who are in CC can see the whole email thread, including other people who are in CC.
The letters "BCC" stand for "blind carbon copy." This feature is much like the CC feature, but there is one big difference: when you BCC someone on an email, no one else can see it. This means that the people you put in the "To" and "CC" boxes won't know that you sent the email to someone else (BCC).
So, the big difference between CC and BCC in emails is that when you use one over the other, the other recipients might not know that a copy has been sent to someone else.
When you CC someone on an email, everyone can see who got the email and their email addresses. CC is great when you want to keep a few people in the loop and don't mind if everyone sees who's included.
So, when you BCC someone, their email address stays private from the others getting the email. Recipients won't know about BCCs unless the sender brings them up. BCC is handy when you want to keep someone in the loop about a conversation without the other recipients knowing it.
CC encourages openness, trust, and teamwork among recipients, whereas BCC keeps things private and confidential. Even though CC recipients aren't required to jump into the conversation, they can chime in whenever they want. But BCC recipients just sit back and watch.
Summary Differences Table Between CC and BCC
| Aspect | CC (Carbon Copy) | BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | All recipients can see each other | BCC recipients are hidden from other recipients |
| Recipient Awareness | All recipients are aware of each other | Only BCC recipients and sender are aware of all recipients |
| Communication Dynamics | CC recipients aren’t active participants in the conversation but can interact | BCC recipients are passive observers |
| Purpose | Used to keep multiple people informed and sometimes involved | Used to privately include someone without others' knowledge |
| Transparency | Promotes transparency and collaboration | Can raise concerns about transparency and trust |
| Privacy | Does not maintain recipient privacy | Maintains recipient privacy by hiding their presence |
| Ethical Considerations | May raise ethical concerns in a few situations | Raises ethical concerns and requires careful consideration |
When To Use CC?
CC is a helpful tool to have in your email toolbox. It's quick and straightforward to use, and it helps people talk to each other better. But technically, it's pretty much the same as the "To" field. The difference is in the "rules" of email. The "To" field is where the email is sent, and the "CC" field is where you want to include people you want to be told or kept in the loop.
The following are scenarios in which you should use CC.- Sharing Information In An Email With Someone Else Is Easy With CC
This is useful when you want people who aren't the primary recipients of an email to be able to see the chat. CC lets them know what's going on and keeps them updated. But, as we'll see below, CC isn't always the best choice. - Start a Conversation With a New Person
CC is used to add a new person to an email chat that is already going on. By CC'ing the new person, you let them see what has already been said and include them in the conversation.
This way, they can quickly understand what is happening and add to the talk. The CC person isn't the person the email was originally written to, so this also works when you're emailing someone to introduce them to someone else.
When To Use BCC?
The "To" field could be used instead of BCC in some situations but not others. It's also helpful that the BCC field is hidden from everyone else so that it could be useful.
- Send a Public Email To a Large Group
This is likely the most common reason people use the BCC field in email. Let's say you want to send an email to everyone who is going to be at an event you're planning, but you don't want everyone to know each other's email addresses. Everyone could be copied on the email, and your address could be in the "To" box. In this way, everyone will get the email, but they won't be able to see who else got it. - Send A Copy of an Email To Someone Else's Email Address
There's a good way to keep a copy of an email in one of your other email addresses without sending it to a different address.
When Should You Not Use CC or BCC?
CC and BCC aren't always perfect. On the other hand, they have problems, like making it hard to talk with coworkers in an email thread. There are times when you should think twice about whether to use CC or BCC.
- People May Be Getting Too Many Emails From You
It can be hard to keep track of all your emails, and copying people on almost all of them is a guaranteed way to make someone else's inbox full.
Sending every email to many people at once can make it hard for them to decide which ones are most important. This can make it harder for them to stay informed and in the loop, which is the opposite of what you wanted to happen.
- You Don't Have Permission From People
Privacy must be respected in all contact forms, and emails are no exception. Making sure that the people you're adding agree with you about adding someone is essential before you do it. - You're Looking For a Response or Doing Something
If you want someone to respond or act immediately, CCing them isn't the best thing to do. You should put them in the "To" field instead.
People who receive a CC message usually think they don't need to do anything and should join the conversation. To avoid confusion and ensure everyone knows what to do, you should always put the people who need to act in the primary recipient field.
Can I reply if I am BCC?
Everyone else in the To or Cc field can't see the people you add in the Bcc field. If you want to keep the email addresses of the people you're sending to secret, Bcc can help. It also means that the people copied on the email will not get any replies from the other people, even if they choose "Reply all." Can CC see replies?
Can CC see replies?
When you reply or forward an email without deleting any parts of the thread, the people you copied can see the whole chat. This happens constantly at work, where team members need to know about current conversations or project updates.
Is it safe to BCC?
BCC helps protect the privacy of email addresses sent to others, but it can also be dangerous if misused. If someone responds to an email sent via BCC, they might accidentally let other people know they were there, which would breach their privacy.
