Automation of SMS messages in the "Shortcuts" application

It sounds like there might be an issue with how the automation is handling replies. When someone replies to the automated message, it might not be distinguishing between individual responses and treating them as part of the same message thread. This could lead to unexpected behavior, like sending messages to unintended recipients. Double-check the automation settings to see if there's an option to handle replies differently or to prevent replies from being sent to everyone in the group. Additionally, you might consider using a dedicated messaging platform designed for group communication, which may offer more robust features for managing replies and recipient lists.

All responses in a group SMS are sent as individual text messages and the recipients can’t see the other responses from the group.

Understanding the Parent's Message Delivery Method

The way the absence message is received by everyone depends on the type of group chat the parent used. There are two main possibilities:

1. Group iMessage (For iPhones Only):
   1. This is a messaging service exclusive to Apple devices like iPhones and iPads. Messages sent through Group iMessage appear in blue bubbles.
   2. If the parent used Group iMessage, everyone in the group chat will receive the message individually, and they will all see who else is in the group.
   3. This allows everyone to be aware of who else received the message.
2. Group SMS (For iPhones and Android Phones):
   1. This is a standard text messaging service that works across different phone types, including iPhones and Androids. Messages sent through Group SMS appear in green bubbles.
   2. With Group SMS, the message is sent individually to each phone number in the group. However, there's a key difference: unlike Group iMessage, recipients won't see who else received the message in the group.
   3. This is because SMS messaging doesn't inherently include that information.

In Short:

• iPhones can use either Group iMessage (blue bubbles) or Group SMS (green bubbles) for group chats.
• Group iMessage lets everyone see who else is in the group.
• Group SMS keeps the recipient list private from each other.

Types of group text messages

There are three types of group messages that you might see: group iMessage, group MMS, and group SMS. The Messages app automatically chooses the type of group message to send based on settings, network connection, and carrier plan. For example:

• If you and your recipients are using Apple devices and iMessage is turned on, then the group message is sent as an iMessage.
• If you send a group message to people who aren't using iMessage, then the message is sent as an MMS or SMS message.

Please refer to the Apple Articles on Group messages.

• Send a group text message on your iPhone or iPad
• Have a group conversation in Messages on iPhone
• Add and remove people in group text messages on your ...