Hi; I have an LG Fiesta TracFone with Android 7.0. I have recently been included in a group text which I would like to get out of. Other than telling the original sender (who started the group) that I don't want to be included, isn't there a way to disable group messages or get one's self out of a particular group? I have Googled the subject but found that while this can easily be done on iOS, Android 7 does not have that feature. Apparently, earlier versions of Android did have it, but for some strange reason, they decided to drop that capability with Android 7. Even if I didn't actually have to pay for txt messages, it's not the money. It's the distraction. I don't want to completely disable SMS and/or MMS, but I may have no choice. Then, I'm not even sure that doing that would prevent my text messages from being used up, since they're still being sent to my # even when my phone is off. I would like to think that something like this would come under the privacy act, and that possibly the FCC would regulate it, but it seems that no one is interested in doing any more regulation in a world where we are dropping regulations left and right. I have politely asked the originator of the group to remove me, but that doesn't assure that I won't be added again later. In the end, if the problem persits, I am just going to let my text messages run out, and not purchase any more. Thanks for your help Ultrarunner
Your best solution is to get a phone plan that doesn't charge you for texting then... All the big carriers offer that at $35 a month
TracFone fits my needs much better than any of the big carriers. I don't use much data, or even talk minutes. At $5/1K texts, the money isn't the big issue. It's the distraction. I guess I could turn off notifications, but then I don't get them for any texts. I have pretty much solved the problem for now by asking the person who included me in the group to remove me. So far so good. With TF, I'm not even paying $35/month. I bought the 1yr service with 1500 minutes/texts/MB for about $120. I haven't even come close to needing to buy more minutes. I may have to add another 1GB of data sometime before the next year, but I really don't do much of anything that uses data. I have all my music on the phone, so no need for streaming, and I never stream video. When I first signed up with TF, they charged $10 for each 1K texts, but dropped it to $5 at least a year ago. If they ever offer an unlimited texting plan for a reasonable cost, I would go with it.
Other then disabling all texts or blocking everyone in the group text (if TracFone supports that)... 1. Have anyone in the group, doesn't have to be OP, start a new group text without you included. If everyone uses the new one you wont receive anymore. 2. Does TracFone and your texting app support group text (MMS) over WiFi? When sending/receiving MMS over WiFi my carrier doesn't charge for them, they are not counted and free.
iOS is different because they are using iMessage, which between iOS devices is more like WhatsApp (i.e. an internet messaging app). And of course you can sign out of a group chat in apps like that. But if you are using the non-proprietary network standards like SMS and MMS you are stuck with their limitations. I think what's proposed above, asking them to leave you out, is the best bet.
I have seen this posted on other forums and somewhat remember that it is possible to leave a group, so I found this I hope it works for you. To turn off group chats on Android phones, open theMessages app and select Messages settings >> More settings >> Multimedia messages >> GroupConversations >> Off. Once you've been added to agroup chat, you're allowed to delete yourself from it. From within the chat, tap on More >> LeaveConversation >> Leave.Jan 10, 2017
