Turning off WhatsApp blue ticks/last seen

Ubbquittious

I've noticed absolutely loads of people doing it in the past year or so. Is this the trend generally or just the people I know?

con747

A few people I know have done it, I don't know why unless they just aren't arsed responding until they want/if they want. Tech just keeps getting better for us all.

Quantum Erasure

I'd always leave them on. its a power move, let people know I've read their message but im not bothered to respond to it yet

Grayson

I've always had it off. It does mean that you can't see if someone else has read your message. I don't really care though.

Kathnora

I think it's rude to turn off the blue ticks. I find it annoying not knowing whether the recipient has read my text or not. It could be important… At least when the blue ticks are on you know the message has been read. I think it's plain bad manners. If you don't want to be disturbed or can't be bothered replying to a text then delete the app.

This is it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102420#Comment_122102420

If it's important/urgent enough then ring.

I've readreceipts turned off, it's off for Teams in work too. Unfortunately too many people these days expect instant replies, and get their back up if a message is read and not replied to instantly. So I turn it off, read the message when I've time, and reply when I have time.

Big Bag of Chips

If it's something that important that requires an immediate response surely you'd call the person?

We have become a very demanding society. We want to know the message has been read, and we want an instant response. I do like to know that my text has been read. But I don't sit waiting for a reply. Also - if a person has small children all the blue ticks mean is that the message has been opened - not necessarily by the desired recipient!

Hippodrome Song Owl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102420#Comment_122102420

I wouldn't rely on read receipts, they're not accurate. WhatsApp marks messages as read if I just clear them from my phone notifications. I do this all the time without reading them. This is why I have turned off read receipts - because of others getting upset at not getting a reply when I haven't had time to read a message yet.

Hannibal_Smith

I never knew you could turn them off! 👵🧓 Does it mean in a group chat you won't come up as a person the text is seen by?

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102460#Comment_122102460

It doesn't work for group chats, only for individual ones

Hannibal_Smith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102466#Comment_122102466

So I just discovered. Damn it, that would be handy

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102460#Comment_122102460

A couple of my friends have them turned off.

However, in shared groups we are in, if I leave a message and then go into the "i" I can see they have read them.

In conversations just between us , I have no idea.

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102431#Comment_122102431

I know I'm an exception to the majority.

However being deaf it's bloody difficult to make a phone call.

So it is annoying when the kids might be on a playdate or something and you're looking for an update, but the other parent has the read notification turned off. So you've no idea if the parent has read it, if everything is ok etc

thomas 123

I sometimes respond to my family urgently/right away. I don’t want non urgent responses thinking I’m ghosting(as I am not) them as if you have the delivery status turned on they also see when your “Online”.

Hannibal_Smith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102493#Comment_122102493

I'd be useless to you. So many times I read a text, intend on responding but then get distracted.

A lot of the time if I know the friend is a large amount of text type I won't read their message until I have time to sit down and focus on it.

Ita a lot of pressure really 😄

Big Bag of Chips

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102493#Comment_122102493

If there's a necessary update to be given the parents will surely contact you. You don't need to contact them asking if there's an update.

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102594#Comment_122102594

Well it's more when they say they'll drop child home at X time, which comes and goes and you're wondering where they are.

They know I can't ring (yes I could ask someone else to ring , but that would change the dynamic of the conversation)

So if I send a message wondering where my child is, I'd like to know they've received the message.

I could also just spin up and collect my child myself, but again that would change the dynamic of the playdate.

A simple "all good, kids in middle of an epic monopoly game or whatever" takes all of 1 minute.

Different parenting styles I suppose.

Pauliedragon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102714#Comment_122102714

What did people do before WhatsApp?

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102725#Comment_122102725

Probably kept to their original plan.

If they said they'd be there at 5 they were there at 5!

You sound like me mother " I don't know how we survived without electricity" 🙄 🙄 🙄

The technology is there to be used, society has moved on and adapted to the current means of communication, which is for the most part WhatsApp.

Maybe we should go back to carrier pigeons 🙄 🙄 🙄

Big Bag of Chips

How often has it happened though?

You're talking about a very specific situation that only occasionally happens. If someone has their status turned off it's for everyone not just you. Unless I need to go somewhere if I'm told my child will be dropped home at 5 and they're not here by 5:15 I don't immediately think there's something wrong. If they're in a friend's house then it is with parents I tend to trust to look after them, and if they're dropped home at 6 then that's grand. If I need them earlier I'll go collect them.

Different parenting styles I suppose is right. My children now range in age from primary school to college, so I have learnt all the things that I used to worry might happen never actually did.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102725#Comment_122102725

SMS had delivered notification.

Before that we used to phone the home or call into the person you needed to make contact with, so you got instant notification of them receiving your message. Letters you'd no idea when they got it or not.

Buddy Bubs

Someone sent me a message once asking me to do something for them, then another text about 20 mins later saying I saw the blue ticks I know you read the message.

That's the last time anyone ever saw blue ticks in a conversation with me, they were turned off that day and they stayed off. That was years ago, I've no interest in ever turning them back on.

Last seen is off too.

Online still shows when I'm using it though.

This is it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102815#Comment_122102815

Whats App still has the delivered notification, even with the read receipt turned off. So you know the message is on their phone/device, you just don't know if it's read or not.

Kathnora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102427#Comment_122102427

I'm more a texter than a caller. I'm very wary of calling people when they may be busy, unavailable to chat or driving. Calling someone with a request or question can put people on the spot or simply give them less time to think about an issue. I find texting less intrusive. It gives the recipient a bit of time to compose a suitable answer especially if it's a situation where you don't want to cause offence or controversy.

But …. I do like to know my text has been read. I can wait for a reply.

Hyperbollix

I know it's a handy feature in some ways, but I think it's just another example of tech becoming ever more intrusive, distracting and all encompassing. I think the old method of SMS texts had it about right. You sent the message, got a delivery report to prove it actually got to the recipient and that's all you knew until they replied. We got on well with that system up until the advent of smart phone message apps and it didn't kill us.

I have a couple of people in my contact list who lets just say are a bit demanding and ever so slightly addicted to their phones, sharing photos and memes and gifs. One of them is an elderly relative who only got this tech in her twilight years and it's been a life saver for keeping in contact with dozens of extended family members. If I had to allow the blue tick on whatsapp, I'd be either harassed with phone calls all day or getting stroppy messages about why I don't acknowledge or reply inside a half hour. It's a real problem, which can be diplomatically avoided by not allowing people to know when you pick up your own phone

Sonic the Shaghog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102427#Comment_122102427

I'd say it's for this reason mainly. Probably got burned with one or two constantly bombarding them asking why they haven't replied

tohaltuwi

re blue ticks, I leave them on as I want people to know I’ve at least taken note of their message. The reply might require consideration or be something can only answer Katherine the day or next day. But at least people know I’ve noted it, and aren’t left in the dark. Not everything requires an immediate response. Eg “Let me know when you arrive at your accommodation”. By having the blue ticks on the sender can see I’ve observed the request, and then later in the day or next day I will respond. Makes sense to me.

And as I have a serious medical condition and live alone, it is quite important for people to see I’m likely ok when I automatically acknowledge seeing a message. If I don’t respond, folk start contacting each other and someone then phones me to ensure I’m ok. It’s a good safety net in my particular circumstance.

This is it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122103252#Comment_122103252

Why do you like to know?

I don't like people to know, and I don't think that's rude or bad manners.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102450#Comment_122102450

WhatsApp marks messages as read if I just clear them from my phone notifications. I do this all the time without reading them.

I didn't know this, I regularly clear all notifications and go back and read stuff later.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122102431#Comment_122102431

Reminds me of the "just checking that you got my email" follow up email. Yes sorry I didn't reply within 24 hours , u have countless other selfish pr!cks demanding instant response to their emails.

John_Rambo

Disabling the read receipts is for people that suffer from social pressure. You can see from this thread alone this is the case.

Personally, I leave them on. If I haven't responded they know I've read it and that I haven't responded.

Eire Go Brach

It does not bother me to much these days with whatsapp. Only the under 30s seem to bring it up. Why did you not reply etc I'm mid 40's. Back in the day. Texts just ended.

But for Teams in work it's a game changer. Turned off. No-one knows if I read the message or not. No pressure to reply. I can't see if they read mine. Does not bother me in the slightest.

SMS. I kinda hate the delivery reports back in the day.

Outlook. I hate with asked for a delivery report. Alway ignore. It's always sales to.