If someone sends an email containing an urban myth, is it rude to reply w/ a Snopes link debunking the claim?

I get them regularly.





It sets the story straight .. and I take no offense.





I don't think it's rude.

If someone sends an email containing an urban myth, is it rude to reply w/ a Snopes link debunking the claim?
Here is the way I like to handle it. I reply to the sender, not to all, and say that I appreciate that they meant to help by forwarding the information, but that I have seen it before and confirmed that it is not accurate. I include the link to Snopes, and tell them that I use that source before I ever forward anything, which is one of the reasons that they never receive any forwarded e-mail from me, because most of these things are urban legends. I would not reply to all, because then you have shamed your friend in front of others. Hopefully she or he will reply to all to whom the e-mail was sent the the factual information that you were so kind to provide.
Reply:I don't care. I do it all the time.





Here's the thing - These myths make the rounds frequently, some of them no better than vicious rumors, because nobody questions their validity.





Sometimes a e-mail warning about a virus traveling by e-mail is the "virus".





My uncle kept sending an e-mail around about how Tommy Hilfiger was a racist and had made racist statements on the Oprah Winfrey show, so don't buy his clothes. He KEPT sending it until I sent back a Snopes article debunking it. In fact, the designer never appeared on the Winfrey show until he HAD to in order to speak out against the e-mail rumors, which had taken on EPIC proportions.





So if you get spam rumors, shoot them down with evidence to the contrary. The only way to fight ignorance is with information.
Reply:It would be better to reply that the email sent states false information. You don't know if a person would try it and the information in the email would cause the person harm.


Try to reply in a nice way saying thank you for this information, but this website (snopes) states otherwise.
Reply:What, exactly, makes Snopes the gospel of urban myths? How do you know Snopes isn't wrong?





I don't bother replying to that kind of email at all. I actually rarely even read most of my emails.
Reply:I consider it rude when people send me obnoxious chain letters telling me how eating apples, etc., will give me cancer.





You're just informing them of the correct information.





Snopes. Oh how I love you so.
Reply:I don't think it's rude, and I do it occasonally. On the other hand, it is very rude to hit "reply all" when you send the link to snopes.
Reply:~No its not rude. The person may actually believe that what they are sending is true. By sending them the link you can be sure that they know what they are sending is just a myth~
Reply:It's a kindness. You can di it by just saying 'hey, maybe not, look at this link"





Works much better that saying 'you raving moron, I can't believe you fall for this stuff'
Reply:I do that - and reply all. Make sure the entire distribution list sees the error. It's not rude, it's responsible to stop false rumors.
Reply:maybe, but I do it all the time! It irritates me a little when people forward that crap before hitting snopes first to find out it isnt true.
Reply:I used to but stopped bothering. If they want to believe the crap that goes around the internet let them.
Reply:Respect other's opinions :D
Reply:EXACTLY what you should do...


these things keep perpetuating themselves.
Reply:Instead of that, I would ask in a friendly way if they had checked Snopes.
Reply:i do it all the time. i get annoyed by how believable people are.
Reply:If it's rude to debunk myth, be rude every chance you get.
Reply:Nope, my friends and I do it all the time.
Reply:How else are urban myth emails ever going to die?
Reply:I do it all the time.
Reply:i actually do that all the time. it has cut down SIGNIFICANTLY on the amount of forwards and crap i get from people
Reply:NO