To be annoyed by WhatsApp group chats

[Allthebiscuits]

My phone was pinging away from 9pm. I stopped the work I was doing to see what exciting messages from a dear friend might be awaiting, only to discover I'd been added to a work WhatsApp group?! Too thrilling were the exchanges that I won't bore you with the details, but there was nothing that couldn't have been conveyed in an email. But of course I now have to either put up with the tedious banter or do the very public 'screw you' and exit the group. The difficulty I have is the lack of consent, any moron can add you to their 'group'. Then there's the ones apparently just created for one off events (hen parties) but they always linger on too uncomfortably long after the event as 'Sue' (the one you don't really know how she knows the bride) updates you over the following two weeks about her recovery from the hangover and how much she misses all the girls....FFS. I'm tempted to just send endless photos of my toddlers in this work WhatsApp, claiming I got confused as it was out of work hours on a SOCIAL media platform. The youngest is potty training, so plenty to update the gang about. Has anyone successfully left a work WhatsApp group without flushing their career down the toilet?

Put it on mute?

But yes. I've left multiple groups without any issues

I hear there are various ones at my work. Mainly for the self important.

Fortunately I’ve never been added

Just mute notifications for it. Check it once a day in work time for anything actually relevant.

What? You’re an adult - just leave the group. If you really hate it but for some reason are afraid to leave - mute it.

As Riverviews said, just mute the conversation.

Just mute it. If you want to be polite, check in once a week and make a vaguely supportive comment.

Cross posted with so many.

Mute for 8 hours/week/year and check every now and again if there are any updates. Easy.

Aha! Thank you MN folk, muted. Is there anyway of automatically deleting the photos they send?

Change your settings so that photos aren’t automatically saved to your camera roll.

Yes just mute and change settings. I have done that with a few

You can change your settings to not automatically download photos from Whatsapp.

Thank you AppleKatie. I feel a lot calmer already.

I’ve got one for a running club I coach at and I mute it I cba with 70 odd people’s tattle.

Either just remove yourself from the group, or put in a comment

"Don't really want to be disturbed by work things when I'm at home in the evening - e-mail me if there is something you want to ask and i'll pick it up during my workhours" Then remove self from group.

I'm part of a group that's made up of friends. It works well when trying to organise a get together but i hate how some of them use it to send messages to one particular person that doesn't involve any of the rest of us. I dont understand why they can't message them privately.

Go to list of chats - swipe left on the one you don't like ... then press mute. They won't know you've muted it. Perfect solution.

I'd exit the group tbh. Who wants to do that?

Just say, "Thanks for this information, but I actually don't use whatsapp for work messaging, sorry. Hope we can discuss XYZ over email or in person tomorrow." [Allthebiscuits has exited the group]

I have a work one - useful on occasion although a lot of blah on there. Just muted & not saving photos so no issue really. Same for the big group of DH’s friends who blather on about nothing the whole time. Once you’ve done that you barely notice them, yet haven’t flounced & occasionally they’re handy to have so you don’t miss plans etc!

I told my work mates the messenger and whatsapp groups are muted and I only check them once a week, so if it's anything important tell me at work or private chat. Hasn't caused issues I know or care of.

I’m on a school with 90 odd mums. I muted mine for a year after endless messages about lost kit/uniform/letters. It’s always the same mums who are constantly on there. Don’t even get me started on the stupid memes and “jokes” that aren’t funny.

I was added to a Wassap group for work but soon left it, I was told off for doing so I told them as that as my phone is not a company phone but a personal phone I am under no obligation to use it for work, if work want to pay for my phone I will rejoin the group.

Now that you’ve muted, I’d make a point of only checking them whilst at work and responding during working hours 😏

@venus good idea