Patent ID: 8341726

Claim:
A method comprising: defining, on an email client device, at least a first email recipient and a second email recipient of an email message; providing, on the email client device, one or more features allowing an email client application user to create one or more email propagation policies; defining, on the email client device, a first email propagation policy associated with at least the first email recipient; defining, on the email client device, a second email propagation policy associated with at least the second email recipient, wherein the second email propagation policy defines a time period during which the email message can be forwarded; embedding, by the email client device, the first email propagation policy and the second email propagation policy in the email message, wherein: the first email propagation policy and the second email propagation policy are configured to be permanently associated with the email message and enforced by an email application; and at least one of the first email propagation policy and the second email propagation policy delegates to at least one of the first email recipient and second email recipient an ability to edit at least one of the first email propagation policy and the second email propagation policy; and sending, on the email client device, the email message to the first email recipient and to the second email recipient.