Patent ID: 8635286
Filing Date: 2014-01-21
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for providing a trace of mailing list expansion performed on an electronic message delivered to an electronic mailing list, the method comprising: receiving the electronic message addressed to an electronic mailing list having a set of recipients; inserting an informational header line in a message header of the electronic message, the informational header line including an identification of a name of the electronic mailing list; relaying the message for delivery to the set of recipients on the electronic mailing list; examining the message header to determine if any informational header lines indicative of any other electronic mailing lists have been inserted by any other mail transfer agents preceding a mail transfer agent in a route of delivery, initializing an expansion count for the electronic message to one if no informational header lines indicative of any other electronic mailing lists have been inserted, incrementing the expansion count by one if any informational header lines indicative of any other electronic mailing lists have been inserted, and including an indication of the expansion count in the informational header line; and wherein the electronic mailing list is a sublist of a nested mailing list.