A Reddit post by an Indian software developer has gone viral among working professionals after he revealed a clever, AI-powered workaround to deal with long and mentally draining WhatsApp messages from his boss—without triggering read receipts.
Side project born from workplace fatigue
In a post shared on Reddit forum r/developersIndia, a user with the handle Several-Virus4840 explained how constant, lengthy messages on WhatsApp had begun to feel overwhelming. Opening the app meant not just reading the message, but also signalling availability through the dreaded blue ticks.
Instead of muting chats or ignoring messages outright, the developer decided to build a technical workaround.
How “whatsNot” works
The result was a small side project called whatsNot. At its core is a Node.js service that listens for incoming WhatsApp messages using an open-source library that interfaces with WhatsApp Web. Messages are captured through a simple HTTP server without opening the WhatsApp app on the phone.
The text is then sent to a free large language model API from xAI (Grok), which summarises the message and analyses its tone—flagging whether it sounds urgent, neutral or aggressive. This allows the user to quickly judge whether immediate action is required.
Tiny hardware, big relief
Once processed, the summary is displayed on a small OLED screen connected to a NodeMCU microcontroller. A touch sensor lets the user refresh or scroll through longer summaries. The entire device is battery-powered, using a salvaged cell from an old selfie stick, making it portable and independent of the phone.
Crucially, the system never opens the WhatsApp chat or sends a “seen” signal. Since read receipts are triggered at the app interface level, the sender never sees blue ticks.
A relatable problem, a simple solution
The developer stressed that whatsNot is not a commercial product, but a practical—and slightly humorous—way to cope with modern workplace communication pressure. The post struck a chord with many professionals, sparking discussions about burnout, boundaries and the creative use of AI to solve everyday work problems.
The response highlights a growing trend: developers increasingly turning to small, personal AI tools to reclaim focus and mental space in an always-connected work culture.