ghosting is leaving someone on “read” for more than 2 days.

This is totally normal behavior. People are busy. Sometimes they read your message and say to themselves "I see this now, but I'm feeling stressed and busy right now - I'll reply later when I can write a good response." But then later happens, and it turns out they are tired and forgetful.

Especially if you are just trying to have a casual conversation - people will treat these messages as lower priority and also as requiring more emotional energy, since the conversation isn't urgent but they don't want to write dismissive one word responses.

I recommend:

1. Send texts primarily to exchange information or make arrangements to meet.
2. If you want to have a conversation, either meet in person or have a phone call.
3. If a person has failed to respond to a text, then wait until the next time you have some reason to contact them - which could be as simple as "I want to talk to them". At which point, text them the info you need to give to them and/or pitch a time to meet up or have a phone call. If they don't respond to this, I tend to follow up with a snarky "HellooOOOoooo". And then if they don't respond to that, a sincere message asking if they are okay. If they still don't respond to that, depending on the friendship, I may either write them off, or ask mutual friends what is going on.

In no way would I consider read for 2 days as ghosting

Yes

For this post let’s assume the people involved are or were in the past friends, and ghosting is leaving someone on “read” for more than 2 days.

This doesn't match how I'm used to seeing ghosting defined.

That behavior might be unfriendly, but there are a ton of innocuous reasons people do it. People are busy and not every message merits a prompt reply. If someone sends me something that requires more time or attention than I have at that moment like a video or news article, I'm likely to make a mental note to look at it later. I might actually remember, and then remember to send a reply about it. I might not.

It's maybe a little rude not to respond to something more important or time-sensitive, but I can always ask again or use something more synchronous like a voice call. People are busy, life happens, tech can be unreliable. It's best not to assume intentional disrespect.

My understanding of the term "ghosting" is permanent or long-term cessation of communication over all channels without explanation. That should be reserved for situations where someone is a physical danger or behaved in a manner so egregious they almost certainly know what they did.

Whatever, people are busy. Texting means I may read it, I may not. If I do I may respond, I may not.

Certainly is not instant communication.

Pretty much of the opinion that out of sight is out of mind. You are here, you have my full attention, you are elsewhere.... surely you have better things to do than text me.

Depends. Someone toxic that doesn't respect boundaries? Absolutely. A good friend for no reason? No.

Not good. Done it a few times in my life, and I hate myself for it. I was in the recieving end for a while, like 5 years. It feels awful, specially if you are dealing with insecurities.

Honestly, who tf cares if I get left on read for a week? People have their reasons, their life and they go through shit, you won't always have the ability or will to reply and that's totally understandable, I would at most get worried and hope they're okay, maybe text again cause they could have also just forgotten lol

As long as it has an explanaition I guess tho, if not I could see why some get upset. Same when it's something important.

Only time getting ghosted ever mattered to me was when talking to my therapist about future appointments and my life plans, sent a long text and she never replied, still don't know to this day why that happened and it feels weird. She's still active on all her socials too and had contact info besides the place we were chatting at, so I can really think of excuses girl just hates me xd

I used to talk to this girl on some random app in the early days of social media. We became good friends and would facetime every other day and got to know each other pretty well. This went on for probably about 2 years. She even began to have feelings for me.

At some point, I decided to completely ghost her. The truth is I got this idea in my head that talking to girls on the internet was sad and desperate. But I didn't want to tell her the truth.

She tried calling me and texting me but I never replied. Even about 6 months later she tried calling me out of the blue, but again I ignored the call.

To this day she still doesn't know why I just disappeared on her. It was a horrible thing to do and I'm not proud of it. Ghosting is almost always cruel unless you have a very good reason for it.

Two days is not ghosting if they're busy or struggling.

Personality and relationship/closeness matters, as well as expectations.

Ghosting can be disappointing and can be hurtful.

Since many have already answered to OP, I will ask another version of question similar to this.

What kind of ghosting is this when people only text you when you text them first? And when you don't, the conversation never happens again?

it's being offended for the sake of being offended.

i notice the people who complain about ghosting in online dating apps... almost always do it to me.

we had 'ghosting' in the 90s and 2000s too. we just didn't use that term for it. you'd go out with someone and they'd ignore your calls or avoid you in school. the message was clear.

It's cowardly behavor that dehumanizes people.

It depends on the situation and level of time investment.

If it's someone you just met and immediately didn't vibe with I think it's fine, no time invested

If you've been on a date with them it's kinda expected to turn them down. Time has been invested, if it's a no don't let them waste time.

If you run into them regularly it's a bad idea regardless because leaving them on perpetual read with no resolution creates tension.

depends. there's people who to not ghost I'd have to have to have a several hour conversion of them spam texting or attempting to interrogate me and we were never close enough for it to be my responsibility to explain their interpersonal failings to them in detail. I can't fix the world and if I spend my personal time giving every person I run into whose parents failed to teach them basic social skills an hour+ of psychosocial educational therapy, I would never get anything else done.