To be annoyed at people who turn off 'read' receipts on WhatsApp?

[PrincessOfPreschool]

So basically you will never get blue ticks from them.

I know a few people who do this and it really annoys me because I now assume they've seen it but don't rant to reply. I keep my ticks on because sometimes I'm not able to check my phone frequently. I'd rather someone know I haven't seen their message yet, not that I'm ignoring them, or maybe I have seen it and just forgotten to reply - so they can prompt me.

I find it weirdly controlling that someone doesn't want me know they've read my message. Of course, you don't know when an email has been read, or a phone message listened to, but WhatsApp has that function which I think is great.

If you're someone who turns off the blue ticks, can you tell me why...

You say you think it’s weirdly controlling when someone doesn’t want you to see if they’ve read it. Have you ever thought that it might be seen as controlling to want to force someone to tell you they’ve read it?

Mine are off, because it's weirdly controlling to want to know if I have read your message!

I turn read receipts off on everything, including MS teams. I prioritise my messages, not the sender!

I've turned mine off so as to reduce the pressure to reply immediately - not to be controlling but to try and be less controlled by my phone. It is an attempt to have uninterrupted peace and the ability to focus on what I want/need to be doing, rather than feel I need to respond to friends and family as soon as they have sent/I have read a message. It's about mental and emotional headspace, and not being at everyone else's beck and call all the time.

Exactly this.

All mine are off. It is completely unacceptable to want to know if someone has read something. Honestly sometimes I wonder how on earth we have got so far from reasonable boundaries.

Tbh it's you that sounds weirdly controlling about it!!

It's called freedom of choice, dear, and guess what... everyone has it! Stop being so controlling, it's not very attractive behaviour.

They probably find it weirdly controlling that you want to know when your message has been read

I find it more weirdly controlling that people go back and check read receipts

It’s none of anyone’s business whether I’ve read their message or not! Same with people obsessively checking when someone was last active on WhatsApp. Hate all these stalker-like functions of social media/messaging.

Mine are off, everywhere, so I can prioritise and reply at times that work best for me. I had no idea this was contentious!

I just don't want you to know if I've read your message. It's quite simple!

Thanks. That's the kind of answer I was looking for. That makes sense and I feel more at peace!

No, I don't think it's as controlling to want the blue ticks on as that's the default option. If you turn off the blue ticks, it also means they don't know if I've read their messages. Sometimes I don't see messages for long periods and sometimes I forget to reply all together! I just think it's transparent if someone knows a message has been read or not.

Quite. I always reject them on emails too. It's always a certain type of person who tries to get an email read receipt.

I keep meaning to turn mine off, because I hate when (controlling) people chase me up to reply when I am doing something else, primarily working. It will say read if I've tapped on my watch to briefly read it and check it isn't anything urgent. I will deal with it properly when I have time to fish out my phone.

Thank you for the reminder OP.

Mine are turned on but I don't mind if people have turned them off. I often read the message in preview so can assess if I need to action it quickly. (I use my phone for work as well)

I hide my online status though, some people can get obsessive over it.

I think it's controlling that you are demanding to be acknowledged with a read receipt!

Maybe re read your OP and have a think about how you come across. That may be why people don't want you to know!

Because of people like you who might struggle with emotional responses when their messages are read but not immediately replied to.

So you are calling them controlling because you want to control them?

It is up to the person I send a message to when they read it not up to me

You are being controlling

Mine are off because I don't always have the social battery to reply. I don't want to offend anyone by making it look like I've left them on read because I can't be arsed to reply.

The other reason is that I don't want to get stressed by seeing that someone else has read my message and not replied.

You might not think it’s controlling but have a read of all the answers on here and then think again.
and I find it hard to believe that you couldn’t work out for yourself that people turn this off for the reasons explained above. It’s not rocket science

Mine are on, and I find it annoying when other people turn theirs off. BUT that is absolutely their choice and I don't have the right to monitor their message-reading habits!

Mine are off and so is my online status, nobody needs to know if I’m online and if I have read their message. It’s my decision to reply when I want to as I want to.

The irony of your statement is hilarious. You don't see it as controlling because the developer of the app set the default. It set the default to encourage use of the app and to bring about fomo, it's a gamification theory applied for business reasons, not to benefit society nor communication.

You really could benefit from some reflective time as your lack of insight to what is control is concerning.

Mine are off because I'm not on the clock all the time for someone else's benefit. Sometimes I'm not up to having a conversation or want to have a think before I reply (if a request to arrange something)

And also because my work started using personal numbers as a way of communicating and would get funny if we read and didn't reply.