Method, System, and Apparatus for Providing Self-Destructing Electronic Mail Messages

A method for transmitting self-destructing electronic mail messages comprising:

• receiving a request, at an electronic mail server, from a sender to send a self-destructing electronic mail message, the request identifying a time period after which the self-destructing electronic mail message is to be destroyed;
• sending a security warning to the sender when an electronic mail address of an intended recipient of the self-destructing electronic mail message is located beyond a home domain of the sender;
• sending the self-destructing electronic mail message to the electronic mail address of the intended recipient in response to input from the sender responsive to the security warning;
• deleting any instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message that are being stored at the electronic mail server after the sending and after expiration of the time period.

An apparatus for transmitting self-destructing electronic mail messages, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a request from a sender to send a self-destructing electronic mail message, the request identifying a time period after which the self-destructing electronic mail message is to be destroyed;
• sending a security warning to the sender when an electronic mail address of an intended recipient of the self-destructing electronic mail message is located beyond a home domain of the sender;
• sending the self-destructing electronic mail message to the intended recipient in response to input from the sender responsive to the security warning;
• deleting any instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message that are being stored at the electronic mail server after the sending and after expiration of the time period.

A computer readable medium storing computer program instructions for transmitting self-destructing electronic mail messages, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a request, at an electronic mail server, from a sender to send a self-destructing electronic mail message, the request identifying a time period after which the self-destructing electronic mail message is to be destroyed;
• sending a security warning to the sender when an electronic mail address of an intended recipient of the self-destructing electronic mail message is located beyond a home domain of the sender;
• sending the self-destructing electronic mail message to the intended recipient in response to input from the sender responsive to the security warning;
• deleting any instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message that are being stored at the electronic mail server after the sending and after expiration of the time period.