ai-bots online-communities content-moderation user-behavior

New accounts on HN 10x more likely to use em-dashes

marginalia.nu

February 25, 2026

1 min read

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

71/100

Summary

New accounts on Hacker News are ten times more likely to use EM-dashes. An increase in bot activity has led to a noticeable rise in nonsensical posts and glitches among user accounts.

Key Takeaways

Comments from newly registered accounts on Hacker News are nearly 10 times more likely to use em-dashes and other symbols compared to established accounts (17.47% vs 1.83%).
Newly registered accounts on Hacker News are more likely to mention AI and LLMs in their comments (18.67% vs 11.8%).
The analysis was based on a sample size of about 700 comments from both newly registered and established accounts.
There is a significant statistical difference in the usage patterns of newly registered accounts compared to established users on Hacker News.

Read original article

View story →

Coverage & discussions

Hacker News · marginalia.nu

New accounts on HN 10x more likely to use em-dashes ↗

Community discussions

Hacker News discussion ↗

Historical count: 5 · 5 saved in sample · Historical sample

Analysis ready

Community Sentiment

Negative

Positives

The discussion highlights the importance of typographical conventions, showcasing how AI's influence can lead to a loss of personal writing style and expression.

Concerns

The fear of being flagged as AI-generated has led to a decline in the use of em-dashes, which undermines good writing practices and personal expression.
There's a growing concern that AI-generated text is becoming formulaic, stripping away individuality and creativity in writing.