Turning off WhatsApp blue ticks/last seen

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

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.

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

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.

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 🙄 🙄 🙄

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.

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.

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

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.

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.