How many WhatsApp groups are you in?

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

I just counted up because it seems to be one of those evenings where quite a few of them are active, it doesn’t happen very often.

26

I can’t believe it’s that many but most are just practical and useful ones, such as a group of parents who lift share the kids to activities or other local childminders we can all pass enquiries on to.

How many groups are you in? Do you often mute or wish they’d go away? I don’t mind mine as no one really chats rubbish, it’s all necessary info.

[saganorenscarandcoat]

None

[caoraich]

Interesting Snowymountains I find the groups save me a lot of time. If I want to arrange something I just message the relevant group rather than inviting everyone individually. Similarly if I know someone sent a message with important info I need to check (e.g. times for an event or something) then I just have to search the one group, rather than going through each individual text stream.

[LoniceraJaponica]

Ikeep how does WhatsApp video chat compare with Skype?

[IToldYouIWasFreaky]

@neddle. I am in a group for DS's football team and have similar issues! Far too much inane chat and the useful messages about match times etc get lost. What I do now is star the messages that actually contain useful info and then clear the chat, making sure I have the "clear all expect starred" box ticked.

I am in 5 active groups - one family, three for different friendship groups and then the football ones. Plus a few defunct ones about organising nights out etc.

DS is nearly 11 and wants to get WhatsApp on his phone for messaging friends. I've played by the rules so far and said no to WhatsApp but yes to Messenger Kids due to the age restrictions but apparently all his friends have it already...

[GhostsToMonsoon]

I think 4 active ones - one for each child's year group, one for the PTA and one for exam invigilators at a nearby school. I was in one for a hen do I went to.

[DragonGoby]

Two separate groups of friends for chatting
One family group
Several for my kids' activities (arranging matches, lifts etc)
Two for my kids' school classes (not for the one at secondary)
Lots of others to arrange past/future events that stop being active when the event is over

[Snowymountainsalways]

None. I am too busy for anything else. Brain overload springs to mind. I can only just keep on top of things now.

Just mute them all and free up your time

[IKeepFlouncing]

Facebook own everything even Instagram. It keeps suggesting people I blocked or removed going back years.

Yet Instagram is not connected to Facebook rarely use fb when I reactive it and has different email address.

I do like WhatsApp even though fb own it as do lots of video calls with family and sending photos etc

[IKeepFlouncing]

1 and that just mum and a sister.

My phone contacts list doesn’t take a lot to scroll through either

[MissusDave]

Ivykaty yes WhatsApp is owned by Facebook but the encryption and privacy settings are different. They're not connected

[MissusDave]

Not many. Some are great though, I like it for sharing photos with friends and family. I'm less keen on being copied in on endless discussions about "what shall we do this week guys?" because I work full time and it properly runs my nose in it that I have friends who don't and get to see their children more than I do. But such is life!

[caoraich]

Oh god. Over 50. You have given me kick up the bum to leave all the ones for past events etc!

In terms of active ones, 15 ish - work, old uni pals, 3 baby / NCT ones, a selection of family ones mainly to organise birthdays and things for the person who's not in that group, and my grandma's bingo group (I provide them with tech support )

Most are muted but I allow notifications for individual tags.

It is so much handier than texting everyone individually though. Family used to use messenger but as we've gradually deleted Facebook we've just drifted away from it.

[littlemissalwaystired]

10, but only 5 active on a regular basis

[BringOnTheScience]

Just three for me.
Leadership team of my Brownie unit.
Family
Parent roadies of the rockband that DC1 is in.

Family one is used the least!

[amusedbush]

A couple of inactive ones and one that I use a lot. I’m doing my masters via distance learning so we have a group chat to discuss assignments, etc.

[TheRealHousewife]

None.

[SneakySneaky]

Three active groups:

• One for one group of 3 friends
  
• One for a separate group of 4 friends
  
• One for my husband, best friend & her husband

[ivykaty44]

Theworldistosmall doesn’t Facebook own WhatsApp?

[ivykaty44]

As few as possible, I was in a group that by lunch time there would be 150+ messages when I’d get my phone from my locker 😮 it was ridiculous. Apart from many members of the group bitching and being the biggest gossips 💩 I left under a cloud and found it was such a pressure lifted. It was 95%male and they all worked full time - but must have spent large parts of there working day messaging and altering photographs

So don’t join stuff now 😊

[Everyoneiswingingit]

Actually, 5, our own family one! Great for free photo sharing.

[Everyoneiswingingit]

1. My family, DH's family, work and a friends group. Most days no activity, other days lots. I have family all over the world so often wake up to find Australia has been busy! I love it but don't have any other social media.

[Bananasinpyjamas11]

They can be really useful - for the odd group chat, for organizing a one off event.

I mute all of them though and just have them notified silently on my screen so I can quickly see if it’s useful or not. If it is I view. If not I view.

I take myself out of redundant groups.

[theworldistoosmall]

That's the key with some groups. It's encrypted. It's more secure so more people feel comfortable using it.
With messenger, I can click onto someone, and this gives me the option to take me to their facebook if they have one. I don't want random people getting that close. The number I use for whatsapp isn't connected to my facebook etc.

[masktaster]

3.

My family
OH's family
Other NCT people (inactive since Christmas)

And a group with my closest university friends on FB messenger.

I'm clearly very unpopular