5 Reasons Read Receipts Are Tacky and You NEED to Turn Them Off

No one likes to get left on read—so why do many people keep their read receipts on?

While they might think they enhance the texting experience and provide good information, we happen to think they're actually tacky and destructive. Keep reading to find out the five reasons why.

They're Manipulative

Texting should be a tool that helps you communicate with people, not a tactical game of chess. When you intentionally leave someone on read, it's a power trip. They know you've seen the text, but that you've chosen not to reply. You're basically shoving your non-response in their face, giving them the digital version of the silent treatment, and it can hurt. And if you expect someone else to turn their read receipts back on just so you can keep tabs on what they're doing, you're probably part of the problem.

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You Can Accidentally Leave People on Read

We've already established that getting left on read is not a good feeling, and the fact that you can accidentally do it to the people you care about should be a clear signal to turn read receipts off ASAP. Maybe you accidentally clicked on the text, or meant to respond before a big distraction sidetracked you. Either way, when someone doesn't get a response, it leaves them guessing. Are you mad at them? Did something horrible happen to you? The situation forces people to speculate about why you haven't replied. It makes people feel clingy and paranoid, even if that's not in their nature. Read receipts simply aren't worth the hurt.

 

It Gives Other People Too Much Information

Read receipts tell the other person the exact minute you saw their text—but why? Texting is complicated enough without giving an exact readout of the time between a text being delivered and a text being read, and between it being read and being responded to. No one needs that much information, and knowing that it's all being logged makes people feel obliged to strategize how they text. You can't read a text as soon as it arrives, or you'll look overeager and desperate. You can't respond to the text as soon as you read it because it doesn't show you're being thoughtful. Simply turning them off eliminates half of the heartache and hassle.

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They Start Arguments

We all read into things too much from time to time, and read receipts give us something else to worry about and overanalyze. If there's a gap between the time you read a text and the time you replied, people want to know why it took you so many minutes to get back to them. If people are already feeling neglected or unimportant, getting left on read can amplify those feelings and lead to an argument. If you don't communicate in exactly the same way, it's going to lead to problems. Sometimes, avoiding conflict can be as easy as not giving someone a read receipt to be petty over.

 

Your Phone Isn't the Boss of You

Maybe you didn't know this, but you're allowed to pretend you didn't see a text message. There are countless situations in which it's a better idea to not get to a text until it's convenient for you to fully focus on it and give it your full attention. Read receipts can hold you hostage to your phone, obligating you to either respond even before you're ready or leave someone on read. Just turning off your read receipts can free you.

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If you're struggling with read receipts, click HERE to find out what it means when your crush leaves you on read.