I have submitted an additional dictionary definition suggestion to Merriam-Webster and to the folks over at dictionary.com.

They currently define a ‘moron’ as a “person of sub-normal intelligence”.  I’d like to add to that.  The additional definition should read, “a person who follows hyperlinks in emails.”

Not obvious enough for you?  It should be.  If you receive an email that contains a hyperlink and you click on it, you are a moron.  It’s non-negotiable.

But what if the email is from someone you know and trust?  Sorry:  moron.

• Even my mom?  Yep.  Moron.
• Even from Colin (e.g. me)?  Yep.  Moron.
• Even from your boss?  Yep.  Moron.
• Even from myself?  Oooohhh, yeah!  Especially if it’s from you, ya’ moron!

Email is so easily spoofed and users are so easily fooled that it doesn’t make sense to try and educate them on how discern if the soure is legit.  Phishing filters, hyperlink hovering, SPF records in DNS, spam filters, the list goes on… all are great but they don’t eliminate the possibility of being duped by a spoofed email.  There is only one way I can think to do it.  Make it a practice to NEVER click on a hyperlink in an email.

Here’s a better idea.  Let’s all become part of the solution by never SENDING an email that has a hyperlink in it.  People who know me well know that, no matter how badly I want to see something, I refuse to watch anything that is on a VHS tape.  If I watch a VHS tape it allows for the continued existence of the medium and I won’t be party to that.  I must now extend this philosophy and say that here, today, it starts with me.  From this day forward I will never send another email that has a hyperlink in it.  Doing so only allows for my legitimate recipients to continue to think it’s okay to click on them.  No more.  It stops here.  I should have done this years ago…

Join me.

Colin Weaver