Communication across social media and messaging platforms leaves information of what has been seen or read. Time stamps and ‘seen’ or ‘read’ notifications are examples of such platform-generated feedback. The information is subtle, yet distinct, and has become an integral part of social media practices, giving rise to the phenomenon of being “left on read.” Based on a repository of data crafted during a five-year digital ethnography across platforms and everyday contexts, this paper explores how tiny instances of platform-generated feedback are felt and how diverse dynamics of left on read pan out. This analysis sheds light on the affective turmoil that occurs when users sense platform-generated feedback, strategies they employ to circumvent this feedback and its affective implications, and not least the platform adaptability that follows.
Kofoed et al. (Thu,) studied this question.