A system for automatically managing email communication between a plurality of first users (104a-d) and a plurality of second users (101a-e), comprising: a database containing information concerning a plurality of known second users (101a-e), and the database containing information concerning a plurality of first users (104a-d); an email synchronization module having a plurality of email inboxes (111a-d) associated with respective first users (104a-d), the email inboxes (111a-d) being capable of receiving a plurality of email messages (112a-e), including email messages from a plurality of second users (101a-e), the email synchronization module being configured to extract metadata from an email message (112a-e) when it is received; the email synchronization module being configured to determine whether one or more first users (104a-d) are associated with an email message (112a-e), and if so, which first users (104a-d) are associated with an email message (112a-e), based upon a comparison of said metadata with information stored in the database concerning the first users (104a-d); the email synchronization module being configured to determine whether one or more second users (101a-e) are associated with an email message (112a-e), and to identify which second users (101a-e) are associated with an email message (112a-e), wherein identifying which second users are associated with an email message comprises: examining said metadata for an email address that matches an email address stored in said database corresponding to a known second user (101a-e), and if no match is found: determine whether the name of the sender of the email message (112a-e) matches the name of a known second user (101a-e), or determine whether said email message is part of a larger email thread containing a reference corresponding to information stored in the database associated with a known second user (101a-e); in the event that an email message (112a-e) is determined to be associated with a second user (101a-e), using a classification module to determine the classification for the email message (112a-e); and in the event that an email message (112a-e) is determined to not be associated with a second user (101a-e), storing metadata concerning the email message (112a-e) without storing the contents of the email message (112a-e). a database containing information concerning a plurality of known second users (101a-e), and the database containing information concerning a plurality of first users (104a-d); an email synchronization module having a plurality of email inboxes (111a-d) associated with respective first users (104a-d), the email inboxes (111a-d) being capable of receiving a plurality of email messages (112a-e), including email messages from a plurality of second users (101a-e), the email synchronization module being configured to extract metadata from an email message (112a-e) when it is received; the email synchronization module being configured to determine whether one or more first users (104a-d) are associated with an email message (112a-e), and if so, which first users (104a-d) are associated with an email message (112a-e), based upon a comparison of said metadata with information stored in the database concerning the first users (104a-d); the email synchronization module being configured to determine whether one or more second users (101a-e) are associated with an email message (112a-e), and to identify which second users (101a-e) are associated with an email message (112a-e), wherein identifying which second users are associated with an email message comprises: examining said metadata for an email address that matches an email address stored in said database corresponding to a known second user (101a-e), and if no match is found: determine whether the name of the sender of the email message (112a-e) matches the name of a known second user (101a-e), or determine whether said email message is part of a larger email thread containing a reference corresponding to information stored in the database associated with a known second user (101a-e); determine whether the name of the sender of the email message (112a-e) matches the name of a known second user (101a-e), or determine whether said email message is part of a larger email thread containing a reference corresponding to information stored in the database associated with a known second user (101a-e); in the event that an email message (112a-e) is determined to be associated with a second user (101a-e), using a classification module to determine the classification for the email message (112a-e); and in the event that an email message (112a-e) is determined to not be associated with a second user (101a-e), storing metadata concerning the email message (112a-e) without storing the contents of the email message (112a-e).