Edit: I know now, I’m not english native so it didn’t click at first
dddd0 on
Shocked to see some redditors are so unoriginal as to straight up copy paste ChatGPT output into reddit. Shocked!
moldyolive on
does ai use more em dashes?
jmm166 on
Chat GPT apparently is a fan out em dashes. I wonder if this could be suggestive of increasing AI use.
UwRandom on
The em dash is a really good indicator of AI writing, checks out.
SheketBevakaSTFU on
Why am I not surprised that those subs are heavy on chatgpt users.
RSomnambulist on
I love using em dashes because they’re highly versatile, so the AI usage feels like a personal attack on me.
I’ve always hated semicolons and I used to use parentheticals far too much when I was younger. Then I discovered the em dash and it changed the way I write. Now people are just going to think I’m a bot.
Khal_Doggo on
We can all agree that AI wouldn’t use comic sans as the font for a graph though
v4nn4 on
People say the em dash (—) is a dead giveaway for AI-generated content. I personally agree, especially when non-native speakers use it. I was curious, so I pulled some data to check. The code is here if you’re interested: [https://github.com/v4nn4/em-dash-conspiracy](https://github.com/v4nn4/em-dash-conspiracy).
AristidLindenmayer on
What is “share of”? Percentage?
Connathon on
I’m curious what % bots are on reddit. Is there a way to see increase in users for the past two years?
jdl232 on
Is the em dash the one where you hit the little dash button twice in a row on iPhone? — this one?
Critical-Power-1541 on
Now do this for r/amitheasshole
EstonianRussian on
This discourse made me, a native russian speaker, realise that I have been using the wrong dash for my entire life. In Russian, there is just one dash (“-“), so I used it a lot in English where the ’em’ dash was supposed to go. Now that I am wiser, my texts look like they are straight from Chatgpt gpt apparently
missingusername1 on
i cum a little every time i use an em dash correctly
HalfRadish on
The “business advice” field has always been so full of slop, I always figured it would be one of the first areas to be flooded with ai text content. Bet this is happening in the “self-help” space too
Fluffy_Appointment14 on
RIP Emily Dickinson—you’d be flattered, then horrified.
Milios12 on
I dont ever use the em dash so it does seem correct that an ai would use it.
At what point does AI advanced enough until it’s indistinguishable from a person tho?
socialcommentary2000 on
And those subs are exactly where you’d expect to find high concentrations of those folks.
AB52169 on
I was bummed to learn that em dashes are a sign of possible AI. I use them pretty regularly because I’m an editor: they have a distinct meaning from a hyphen, they look so much better than a double hyphen, and Alt+0151 isn’t hard to type.
I can hold back on the rare occasion that it’s important for internet strangers to be confident my comment comes from a real person, but I’ve already conceded to not using periods in my texts: I’m not giving up em dashes because I almost never write anything that important on reddit (I’m not giving up en dashes, either).
DryBiscotti5740 on
Folks, I’m confused. I’m on an iPhone and when I type two hyphens, it autocorrects to an em dash—like so. I understand that part of the red flag is that many people wouldn’t use them in the first place, but I’m seeing a lot of comments here indicating that it’s difficult to type an em dash. Are that many people really still using Reddit on a desktop? It is trivial to type an em dash on an iPhone and I assume that’s true for Android as well. Or did my phone just pick up on the fact that I was going for em dashes and add that to my personal autocorrect library?
blindgorgon on
Haha no it’s just me—a typographer who likes the em dash. It’s _all_ me. Well—ok—maybe ⅞ me. Just filling the Internet with typographical wonders. After all, why not‽
falseredstart on
Forever annoyed that LLMs stole my emdashes!
mpark6288 on
I hate this trend. I don’t use em dashes because I’m using AI, I use them because I have an English degree!
Fanditt on
As someone whose always overused em dashes, you will pry that punctuation out of my cold, dead, hands
sumsimpleracer on
As a writer, I’m deeply offended that my favorite punctuation is used as a signal for AI.
laulau711 on
As a devoted em dash user. Quit it, Chat! It’s the best punctuation!
MiMichellle on
Wow — that certainly is some **shocking** data! 🤯🔥
Here’s a list of reasons why this could potentially be:
✅ **• Education:** People are constantly getting smarter online — learning from each other, and developing a more refined communication style.
✅ **• Fancy new keyboards:** Redditors are **well known** for being fans of **expensive, mechanical keyboards.** These can often come with **custom functionality**, allowing them to more easily use the em dash — and in turn, sounding smarter.
What do you think? Is this an accurate analysis? 🤔💭
OrneryError1 on
Fuck, I’ve been writing like that for years. This is how I find out I’m a bot?
![[OC] The Em Dash Conspiracy](https://www.byteseu.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/29fkzi7sorye1-1536x1152.png "[OC] The Em Dash Conspiracy")
30 Comments
Context? What am I looking at? What is ‘Em Dash’?
Edit: I know now, I’m not english native so it didn’t click at first
Shocked to see some redditors are so unoriginal as to straight up copy paste ChatGPT output into reddit. Shocked!
does ai use more em dashes?
Chat GPT apparently is a fan out em dashes. I wonder if this could be suggestive of increasing AI use.
The em dash is a really good indicator of AI writing, checks out.
Why am I not surprised that those subs are heavy on chatgpt users.
I love using em dashes because they’re highly versatile, so the AI usage feels like a personal attack on me.
I’ve always hated semicolons and I used to use parentheticals far too much when I was younger. Then I discovered the em dash and it changed the way I write. Now people are just going to think I’m a bot.
We can all agree that AI wouldn’t use comic sans as the font for a graph though
People say the em dash (—) is a dead giveaway for AI-generated content. I personally agree, especially when non-native speakers use it. I was curious, so I pulled some data to check. The code is here if you’re interested: [https://github.com/v4nn4/em-dash-conspiracy](https://github.com/v4nn4/em-dash-conspiracy).
What is “share of”? Percentage?
I’m curious what % bots are on reddit. Is there a way to see increase in users for the past two years?
Is the em dash the one where you hit the little dash button twice in a row on iPhone? — this one?
Now do this for r/amitheasshole
This discourse made me, a native russian speaker, realise that I have been using the wrong dash for my entire life. In Russian, there is just one dash (“-“), so I used it a lot in English where the ’em’ dash was supposed to go. Now that I am wiser, my texts look like they are straight from Chatgpt gpt apparently
i cum a little every time i use an em dash correctly
The “business advice” field has always been so full of slop, I always figured it would be one of the first areas to be flooded with ai text content. Bet this is happening in the “self-help” space too
RIP Emily Dickinson—you’d be flattered, then horrified.
I dont ever use the em dash so it does seem correct that an ai would use it.
At what point does AI advanced enough until it’s indistinguishable from a person tho?
And those subs are exactly where you’d expect to find high concentrations of those folks.
I was bummed to learn that em dashes are a sign of possible AI. I use them pretty regularly because I’m an editor: they have a distinct meaning from a hyphen, they look so much better than a double hyphen, and Alt+0151 isn’t hard to type.
I can hold back on the rare occasion that it’s important for internet strangers to be confident my comment comes from a real person, but I’ve already conceded to not using periods in my texts: I’m not giving up em dashes because I almost never write anything that important on reddit (I’m not giving up en dashes, either).
Folks, I’m confused. I’m on an iPhone and when I type two hyphens, it autocorrects to an em dash—like so. I understand that part of the red flag is that many people wouldn’t use them in the first place, but I’m seeing a lot of comments here indicating that it’s difficult to type an em dash. Are that many people really still using Reddit on a desktop? It is trivial to type an em dash on an iPhone and I assume that’s true for Android as well. Or did my phone just pick up on the fact that I was going for em dashes and add that to my personal autocorrect library?
Haha no it’s just me—a typographer who likes the em dash. It’s _all_ me. Well—ok—maybe ⅞ me. Just filling the Internet with typographical wonders. After all, why not‽
Forever annoyed that LLMs stole my emdashes!
I hate this trend. I don’t use em dashes because I’m using AI, I use them because I have an English degree!
As someone whose always overused em dashes, you will pry that punctuation out of my cold, dead, hands
As a writer, I’m deeply offended that my favorite punctuation is used as a signal for AI.
As a devoted em dash user. Quit it, Chat! It’s the best punctuation!
Wow — that certainly is some **shocking** data! 🤯🔥
Here’s a list of reasons why this could potentially be:
✅ **• Education:** People are constantly getting smarter online — learning from each other, and developing a more refined communication style.
✅ **• Fancy new keyboards:** Redditors are **well known** for being fans of **expensive, mechanical keyboards.** These can often come with **custom functionality**, allowing them to more easily use the em dash — and in turn, sounding smarter.
What do you think? Is this an accurate analysis? 🤔💭
Fuck, I’ve been writing like that for years. This is how I find out I’m a bot?
Beautiful and comic sans do not work together