THIS IS A TOTAL GAME CHANGER SURELY

[isitanoaktree]

Whatsapp has now provided an update whereby users can hide their 'online' status. This is honestly brilliant and a long time coming.

I have just breathed an audible sigh of relief knowing that being seen online won't cause issues for me in the future now.

What does this mean though for cheating spouses and partners who were caught out, in part, because they were seen online at odd hours or only ever online when they were locked in the bathroom? Interesting one...

Plays right into the hands of philanderers doesn't it...

I think people are getting confused with that weird feature where you can basically read and reply to messages but never blue tick someone.

No. You absolutely cannot. Are you not able to have a quick google? Will show you that you are incorrect. Alternatively, see the link I posted above which proves this. Or just have a quick skim of this thread to see that other users also know this is a new update. Deary me.

Do you always assert untruths and factually incorrect things with such self assuredness? Its a touch embarrassing.

But surely no one in a work or school group is going to check whether you personally, out of the dozens of group members, are currently online but haven't deigned to read a group message?! It's totally normal to see such messages come in, and save them for a more convenient moment to read. Isn't it?

@BedTaker I'd say yes we clearly do all have the time in our lives to be looking at and analysing shit like this, considering we are discussing it at nearly midnight on a Friday night

Some people feel very pressured to. Especially if they have someone or some people in their life / lives who ask why a message hasn't been responded to!

They need better boundaries then.

A big thank you to you Oak 🤗
I too have been waiting for this update.
a sigh of relief that I’ll no longer get rants of “I saw you online, why didn’t you reply?”…
my private life is thankfully private again, and I’m allowed to message in my own free time.
you have the patience of a saint to keep correcting the disbelievers!

No you didn't -- that is the 'last seen' status, which is a different thing entirely to the 'online' status. Go into settings and look now, you will see. Providing you have an up to date version of the app.

Nahhhhhh far easier just to use the new WhatsApp feature.

Wow, OP is getting super snarky and patronising.

People are confused as it’s very similar to a current feature. There’s no need to be rude.

😂😂😂

This thread is comedy gold

I am just irritated by the blind assertions that people are right when they aren't. I am content in my current rudeness, thanks all the same :)

Maybe it’s been a long week and I’m being thick but I’m struggling to understand how not seeing someone is online will catch out cheating partners?!

(Forest dad is typing)
Thanks OP for the info and engaging in the thread, very funny!

Thank you !!

I will stop correcting them and go to sleep at some point. glad the update is going to improve your life -- I think a lot of people feel the same way. Some clearly don't mind at all if they are seen online, and that's fine, but evidently its not the right thing for all of us, which is probably why WhatsApp as introduced the update in the first place.

Receiving those rants about why you haven't replied to a message is just...awful. Especially for neurodiverse people or people with mental illness.

@SomethingVexesThee a lot of messages are looking for volunteers to chaperone kids for netball, make cakes to sell or other time critical stuff, or asking questions unfortunately related to my line of work so I try to read as little as possible. My kids get sent texts from their friends saying my mum says please can you ask your mum to read her WhatsApps

If you look at Boggle's post from 23.11 I think, that's what I had, which means no one can see your online or last seen status?

I think there's a genuine misunderstanding here but I'm not an arguing person so I'll just be happy with hiding 😂

I've never noticed someone being online before. What did it look like?

It’s not similar though.

Always one who has to come on and accuse someone of patronising someone else. Well I’m on the OP’s side. If anyone’s been rude, it’s the posters who have either ignored or argued against subsequent posts where the OP has had to explain over and over how this is an entirely new feature.

You are not being thick. I will explain.

Say you and I are married or in a relationship @LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet , and you see that I am 'online' during strange hours of the night (perhaps I am working away, or we have separate bedrooms, don't live together, or whatever) then it might(!) be an indicator of an affair / cheating.

Similarly, if you noticed that I am online for very long periods of time and not replying to you and I don't necessarily use WhatsApp for work then you may well wonder who I could be speaking to, particularly if I am not replying to you. It indicates an ongoing conversation. And at odd hours that can seem fishy to some. Obviously other circumstances and contexts need to be considered, in the round.

Then if you happen to notice that every time I am in the bathroom / using the loo (door locked) I am online for a long period of time but do not seem to be using my phone much when I am in closer proximity to you then that could also indicate cheating.

This may seem OTT / unlikely / alarming to some, but there are a great number of people who have discovered their partner cheating because of the online status.

You took the time out to comment…

I simply... cannot help you.

Please do your own research or ask others.

I am simply not paid enough for all this unpaid labour of educating those who are cognitively compromised.

And may the universe have mercy upon you.

Just updated the app.

Options are now available for:

last seen (the time stamp that shows when you were last online)

online status (the word online showing when you are online)

read receipts (blue ticks)

Ummmm. It said “online”.