The Case Against Read Receipts: Why You Should Turn Them Off Now

For a decade, a strange technological glitch plagued my marriage. My wife, despite meticulously checking her phone settings and confirming that read receipts were disabled, was unknowingly broadcasting her reading habits to me alone. Every text I sent would return the dreaded "Read" confirmation, accompanied by the precise time of acknowledgement. This digital transparency, needless to say, sparked more than a few uncomfortable conversations.

The truth is, read receipts are a widespread irritant. They’re a source of friction between couples, friends, family members, and even employers and employees. In the not-so-distant past, we lived in a more innocent era of digital communication. A text message was a simple missive, launched into the void with no expectation of immediate validation. Now, we’re trapped in a world where the absence of a prompt reply can feel like a personal slight, a deliberate act of digital disregard.

But bad manners are only the tip of the iceberg. Read receipts are more than just socially awkward; they can be a security risk, an open invitation for scammers to target you. While most smartphone operating systems offer the option to disable read receipts within their default messaging apps, a more robust solution might involve switching to a privacy-focused messaging platform altogether.

Seriously, consider this a public service announcement: turn off your read receipts, across all your messaging apps. The upside of relinquishing this small piece of data about your attention is minimal. The potential benefits of reclaiming a more rudimentary, asynchronous form of communication are vast. Imagine the peace of mind in simply sending a text and not obsessing over its fate. Perhaps it was read, perhaps it wasn’t. Perhaps it simply vanished into the digital ether, freeing you from the anxiety of waiting for a response.

Rewind the clock a few years, and this was the standard. The first text message, a simple "Merry Christmas," was sent using SMS (Short Message Service) technology in 1992. A decade later, MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) arrived, adding images, video, and audio files to the mix. But the expectation of immediate acknowledgement, the ever-present "Read" confirmation, was still absent.

BlackBerry deserves dubious credit for pioneering the read receipt in its BBM instant messaging service, launched in 2005. Back then, there was no escape; the feature was mandatory. Users quickly realized the inherent social pitfalls of being forced to disclose their reading habits. BlackBerry forums became a hotbed of strategies for avoiding the dreaded "read but unreplied" scenario.

Apple brought read receipts into the mainstream with the launch of iMessage in 2011. The situation became even more complex in 2015, when Apple introduced the ability to selectively enable read receipts for certain contacts. The emergence of Rich Communication Services (RCS), a messaging protocol that gained traction after iMessage, extended read receipts to most Android devices.

So, what exactly is a read receipt? It’s essentially metadata, data about data. In this case, it’s a small piece of information attached to a text message that reveals whether the message has been opened and when. This metadata is transmitted back to the sender, providing notification that the message has been read. Delivery receipts, a slightly less intrusive feature, simply confirm that the message has reached the recipient’s device, without indicating whether it has been read. While delivery receipts are a common feature across various messaging apps, including WhatsApp and Signal, they typically cannot be disabled – a fact that should also raise privacy concerns.

While the prevailing sentiment is negative, there are arguments to be made in favor of read receipts. In specific contexts, they can be genuinely useful. Parents texting teenagers, managers communicating with employees, spouses exchanging logistical details – in these scenarios, the confirmation that a message has been seen can be reassuring and prevent misunderstandings. However, in many other social situations, read receipts simply amplify anxiety and create unnecessary pressure.

As Jeffrey A. Hall, a communications studies professor at the University of Kansas, explained, "We’re getting information that implies a response is forthcoming, and when one isn’t, we feel slighted – which only makes sense, because the receipt made it possible to even know." Read receipts essentially tamper with our expectations, setting us up for disappointment.

The dangers extend beyond social awkwardness. Read receipts also introduce a significant security risk. Because they involve the exchange of code between sender and recipient, they can be exploited by malicious actors. A simple act of opening a spam text, for example, can confirm to the sender that you’re a real person, making you a target for future scams.

The risks are even more profound. A 2024 paper from researchers at the University of Vienna detailed a worst-case scenario in which read receipts and delivery receipts, even the ones that can’t be turned off, can expose sensitive information about you and your device without your knowledge or consent.

As Gabriel K. Gegenhuber, one of the paper’s authors, explained, "Potentially, you’ve even used these features yourself in a more harmless way and without any bad intentions, e.g., when your partner is on their way home in an unsafe neighborhood and you know they’re low on battery you could ping them with an arbitrary message and wait for successful delivery to see whether their phone is still on. Also, when you message somebody that is on a flight, you would later be notified about the exact time they’ve landed."

This exploit even works within encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Signal. The potential for abuse is significant, particularly when personal relationships are involved.

"Both delivery and read receipts could be abused by people that are actually close to you," Gegenhuber warned. "Due to the information they leak, they could be used for stalking and intimate partner abuse."

Fortunately, mitigating these risks is relatively simple. Disabling read receipts is an easy way to protect your privacy and avoid unnecessary social friction. Apple provides comprehensive guides for turning off read receipts on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, offering both system-wide and contact-specific options. Google offers a single toggle switch for Android devices. Configuration varies across different messaging apps, with helpful resources available for WhatsApp and Signal.

For an even more robust solution, consider ditching the default messaging app on your phone and opting for a privacy-focused alternative. Signal, in particular, is a highly recommended option. It features end-to-end encryption, prioritizes privacy by default, is run by a nonprofit organization, and is free to use. Signal also excels at filtering out spam.

Jun Harada, vice president of partnerships and growth at Signal, explained that new messages from unknown senders are filtered through a "message request" screen. This allows users to preview the message content without accidentally clicking on malicious links or exposing their information to the sender.

In the course of researching this story, I finally solved the mystery of my wife’s persistent read receipts. She had inadvertently disabled them for everyone except me. Now, my read receipt privileges have been revoked, and honestly, I’m relieved. The peace of mind that comes from sending a text into the void, free from the anxiety of immediate acknowledgement, is priceless.