Does delivery prove the recipient received the message?¶

Delivery proves the status defined by the service - usually that the message reached an account, server, application or linked device. It does not automatically prove that the intended person saw, understood or controlled that destination.

Establish the delivery endpoint¶

Preserve message ID, sending and recipient accounts, delivery status and timestamp, time zone and service definition. Some platforms deliver to one of several linked devices; others record acceptance by infrastructure serving the recipient.

The account may be active on a shared computer, the device unattended, or the intended user locked out. A notification can display content without the conversation being opened.

Look for evidence of awareness¶

A responsive reply, reaction, later reference, account activity or conduct consistent with the content may support actual receipt or awareness. Still ask who controlled the account and device during those events.

Use wording tied to the system: the service recorded delivery to the identified destination. If delivery to a specific device is established, state that without silently converting it into personal receipt.

Provider symbols and semantics differ and can change, so obtain the relevant definition where the distinction matters.