WIBU to ask guide leader to change the way she emails?

[SockYarn]

DD goes to guides. Or rather doesn't go to Guides at the moment because of Covid. The guide leader has been trying to keep things going by emailing out weekly packs, and setting up Zoom meetings at notmal guide times. All great.

But when she emails, she puts every parent's email address in the "to" field. So I can see everyone's email addresses, and everyone can see mine. Most of the emails are very identifiable as most people use the firstname.surname@ emailprovider.com format with underscores or numbers or something.

I'm not that happy about it, but on the other hand I really appreciate the unpaid volunteering she does for the guides and how hard she's working to keep it going when they can't have proper meetings.

It breaches GDPR.

There could be any number of people who need to keep their contact details confidential for whatever reason - she needs to be told about this asap.

I'd send her a friendly email with a 'Thanks so much for X,Y Z. Matilda loved doing the activity. Here are some photos of her art works. By the way, I just thought I should let you know because I'd hate the Guides to get in trouble when you're doing such a great job, but when you email you should bcc ... etc.

This. It's easy to be nice - this kind of message is fine and hopefully would let her change how she does it before someone is unnecessarily harsh about it.

This. It's easy to be nice - this kind of message is fine and hopefully would let her change how she does it before someone is unnecessarily harsh about it.

This isn't giving an opinion on a homemade jumper. It's a communication that should leave the recipient in no doubt that they need to change what they are doing. Which can be done without being harsh, because:

By the way, I just thought I should let you know because I'd hate the Guides to get in trouble when you're doing such a great job, but when you email you should bcc ... etc.

is a tad too wishy washy. For a start there's no "should" about it. It's must.

I was a volunteer with a similar group and once sent out a group email with all the addresses in cc not bcc. Only one parent noticed and replied to point it out. I was mortified and horrified! I've always had it drummed into me to be careful with peoples personal information and couldn't believe I'd made such a basic error.

I was grateful to the parent who let me know and who did it in a calm, politely worded email.

So I would definitely let her know.

She's an untrained volunteer doing this in her own time out of 'the goodness of her heart'. Even if she's done training in safeguarding and first aid, she almost certainly hasn't done recent training in Microsoft Outlook or GDPR.

As soon as you start telling a volunteer they must do this and mustn't do that and making them feel that feel that they are being told off, then they very reasonably can choose to withdraw their services.

Better to offer to help her and show appreciation of what she's doing than threaten her with the law and 'reporting' her to the Guiding Association.

I’m a brownie leader. Girlguiding have made it clear we should not be doing this. It actually makes my life slightly trickier when we receive emails from our commissioners as I never know if they have sent emails to all my leaders or if they need me to send it on to my unit leaders.

If your leader refuses to bcc you in the email, I think you have grounds to mention it to your Local commissioner To have a word with her. It’s different if it’s an accident, we all make a mistake sometimes, but to be doing it weekly suggests she doesn’t understand the problem at all.

just send a polite email to her "Did you mean to send this bcc which doesn't show other peoples email address- its confusing I know but we have to be careful these days about privacy these days"

just send a polite email to her "Did you mean to send this bcc which doesn't show other peoples email address- its confusing I know but we have to be careful these days about privacy these days"

And what do you do when they reply "Oh yes. I've always done this. It's what I'm familiar with" ?

coralfish suggested email is perfect. I sent a similar email in a similar situation. The recipient thanked me and bcc’ed in future.

yanbu
point out to her that this is a gdpr breach that can lend her and her organisation in hot water.

@ProfessorSlocombe then I'd go to her commissioner.

We are all trying our best and sometimes mistakes do happen!

Otherwise you’ll be a PITA and if I was spending my unpaid time doing that I would be upset with you (regardless of rules).

Aye, it's okay to break legislation, as long as you're doing it for free 👍

Yes, OP, I'd mention it. GDPR training should have been mandatory for all voluntary workers in that capacity when it was introduced. If she takes umbrage with you nicely , privately correcting it, I'd wonder what other training she doesn't follow.

Definitely tell her. GDPR violations can become very, ver expensive!

I think you’re being a bit precious. She’s a volunteer doing her best. Why does it matter to you?

All guide leaders have had info on this ours once forgot to bcc and then caMe grovelling and apologising.

I understand your point @ProfessorSlocombe so what would you suggest writing? That's what OP asked for - your prerogative to respond to other people's suggestions with a or saying there's "fuck all point" in them, but if you have an opinion then it might be easier for you you to articulate it instead of just critiquing other people's suggestions...

@ProfessorSlocombe then I'd go to her commissioner.

As you wish. Shame though when a more clearly stated email might have done it ...

GDPR violations can become very, very expensive!

Not really, luckily. The UK has managed to avoid taking any really serious actions over data breaches so far. Good job too really, as most companies would be bankrupt ages ago.

I'm a Brownie leader and have been told we must use bcc to email groups. Specifically so they don't ask her each others email addresses like this. It's a gdpr issue. Leaders who aren't good with technology or who were emailing like this before gcpr came in are sometimes finding it difficult to remember

If you ask her to use bcc I'm sure she'll try to remember. Just be polite in your request and she'll probably do her best to accommodate.

The leader of an after school activity my DD attends did this. I emailed her and asked her not too and asked that she bcc her emails. She responded oh yes of course. Remembered the next couple of times and then forgot again!
She's running a private, profit making organisation, she should know the rules. It's irritating. Maybe a quick email to the guide leader would be in order. Just politely ask that going forward she sends her emails bcc'd.

@PowerStruggle its a GDPR violation. The fines are seriously high. This has nothing to do with being precious, not telling somebody could lead to a crippling fine.

I understand your point @ProfessorSlocombe so what would you suggest writing?

Maybe a link to here for a start:

www.girlguiding.org.uk/making-guiding-happen/running-your-unit/membership-administration/gdpr/

I note immediately there's a link to "Resources", an FAQ, and even a simple quiz to help.

Which rather punctures the "poor little volunteer with no help" theme.

I think you’re being a bit precious. She’s a volunteer doing her best. Why does it matter to you?

So people are only allowed to enforce their rights-by-law when it "matters" ? Wow, that's a lot of civil liberties I don't need then.

@ProfessorSlocombe

Speaking as a commissioner and a leader the following would be acceptable and clear to me

Dear x

Many thanks for the email.

I have noticed that I can see other parents email addresses, I just wanted to bring your attention to it as I am aware with everything going on it is easy to make this mistake!

I look forward to hearing from you

X

its a GDPR violation. The fines are seriously high

I'm sure. Let me know when they're used ... until then my statement stands.

Speaking as a commissioner and a leader the following would be acceptable and clear to me

Speaking as someone who has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with guiding, I think the link to the Guiding UK site pretty much covers it. It's quite exemplary.

@Yurona I can’t tell you how little interest anyone would have in this as a “GDPR violation”