I don’t know what I would do without WhatsApp (probably send text messages and call instead of leaving voice notes?) but one part that can get slightly annoying is the WhatsApp group. And while I love some, there are a few things that get to me. Here are the 7 deadly sins of WhatsApp groups.
SEE ALSO: Peppa Pig banned in China because it’s too gangsta
1.Re-adding someone to a WhatsApp group once they have left
I remember the first WhatsApp group I was added to. I was added without my consent (which is often the case). I know I have the power to leave if I want to, but no one wants to be that person.
“Jade just left” or a popular discussion starter “084 666 777 just left” which is often followed by “Who just left?”.
And every time I tried to leave, someone added me again. After the third time, I did some research and found that I could only mute a group but that didn’t stop me from getting the messages, it only stopped the alerts. If I accidentally leave… wait that hardly ever happens.
2. Not sticking to the theme of the WhatsApp group
Some WhatsApp groups are amazing. I have a family group, called The Wolf Pack and we all have an understanding that it is meant for funny family news and ripping each other off. No serious political discussions allowed. It is great and as such, I always look forward to notifications. But there are some WhatsApp groups, particularly community groups, that don’t follow this rule at all.
I am not part of a community WhatsApp group. I haven’t cracked the nod to be invited to the one in our complex (not sure if there even is one) but they do have their place. I vicariously live through a colleague at work, who gets constant updates. Lost dogs, open gates, suspicious looking characters and behaviour (all relevant) and sending politically motivated videos about land expropriation (not appropriate).
3. Sending something to the wrong WhatsApp group
Have some decorum and gossip via phone behind that person’s back or just tell them to their face. Be very careful what you send via WhatsApp because posting to the wrong person or group opens you up to a lot of possible fails.
- posting in the wrong group (remember Margaret van Wyk and the hockey group?) means there will always be one person who screenshots and sends it to their BFF who promises not to tell anyone. Remember that screenshots are forever kids.
- even the recently-added delete this message means that if someone was online at the time of the said message, they could see it or take a screenshot.
If this happens, apologise profusely and if you happen to see this, DBAD (don’t be a d$ck) and take a screenshot.
4. Sending
a
message in
bits and pieces
See what I did there? That would be 4 notifications in what could have been one. Write one coherent message with all of your info and then send it.
If I get 11 notifications from WhatsApp I get all excited only to discover that someone got a little excited while using the enter key.
5. Sharing a big AF video or photo gallery
Just like gas ain’t free, so is data. While some of us are #blessed to have wifi some people aren’t so lucky. DBAD and waste someone’s data on a 5-minute video that you happen to think is hilarious.
Similarly sharing ALL the photos from a weekend away (without checking for the good ones) isn’t cool. And by good ones I mean, the ones where someone isn’t smiling or they are embarrassing themselves.
On the same WhatsApp group definition: being on the same WhatsApp group means that you are on the same page and have something in common. It is usually said while putting your index fingers together.
6. Sending a message at 1 am
People have their phones with them at all times. And a message at 1 am in the morning usually means it is an emergency or someone is having a big night out. Remember some people are light sleepers and your work WhatsApp group doesn’t need to know that you are burning the midnight oil. Non-urgent after-hours messages are only OK if you are a close-knit Whats App group.
Top Tip: not sure if something is group worthy? Send a broadcast message first and once you have RSVPs and answers, add the correct people to the group. Your friends will thank you.
7. Not deleting a WhatsApp group at the right time
Once the event or occasion is over, it’s time to delete the group. This is especially true if you created the group. There’s no need to keep the party going once it is clearly over. *All night long*
What do you hate about WhatsApp groups?
[Tweet “The 7 deadly sins of WhatsApp groups”]
