To be suspicious about these very similar posts

FfaCoff · 2025-07-08T18:29:54+00:00

All in AIBU, all following a similar formula all with names that are very formulaic too - 3 random words. So is it mumsnet planting AI written posts to generate discussion? The same person constantly name changing? What do we reckon?

Mingenious · 09/07/2025 14:33

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 08/07/2025 23:13

Sometimes I wake in the night and read for a bit. I was on Mumsnet one night a few weeks ago and the site looked odd, as there seemed to be a label above each thread and one of the labels was AI. It was gone a minute or two later.So you are NBU.

Well that’s just shit isn’t it. Who wants to waste time replying to an AI bot?!

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 09/07/2025 13:25

I agree, frankly. It’s no longer as interesting as it was, and certainly not as informative. Also, so many people seem not to be who they represent as.

ChoccieCornflake · 09/07/2025 13:07

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 08/07/2025 23:13

Sometimes I wake in the night and read for a bit. I was on Mumsnet one night a few weeks ago and the site looked odd, as there seemed to be a label above each thread and one of the labels was AI. It was gone a minute or two later.So you are NBU.

Blimey!!

There is a massive slew of posts in AIBU at the moment with the OP posting once and never returning. Such a turn-off for the whole site

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 08/07/2025 23:13

Sometimes I wake in the night and read for a bit. I was on Mumsnet one night a few weeks ago and the site looked odd, as there seemed to be a label above each thread and one of the labels was AI. It was gone a minute or two later.So you are NBU.

MyDogHumpsThings · 08/07/2025 21:09

fount · 08/07/2025 20:53

Tangent, but I'm annoyed that people now think em-dashes and the Oxford comma mean something is AI. I love both, and now I feel self-conscious using them. Incidentally, I use AI daily for work, as well, but my love of a good em-dash goes back decades.

Not long ago, an over-reliance on the word 'ensure' and its variants would have been a dead giveaway, but it seems to have grown out of that (or maybe my repeated wrist slaps have finally had the desired effect on the one I'm using, though it does still try to sneak emojis by me despite frequently being told that they're a no-no).

Same! I love my Oxford comma, but have been advised to stop using it!

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 21:01

Mingenious · 08/07/2025 20:59

Yeah, that’s how the rest of us do it 🤣

Show quote history

Yep, edit out the em dashes (unless strictly necessary) then rewrite the first and last paragraph, and you can fool most AI detectors (not that they’re all that accurate anyway) while still saving tons of time!

Mingenious · 08/07/2025 20:59

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 20:56

It’s so lazy. It would take seconds to edit them out and make it less obvious.

Show quote history

Yeah, that’s how the rest of us do it 🤣

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 20:56

Mingenious · 08/07/2025 20:54

My boss does 95% of his work on CGPT and we can all spot it from a mile away because of the excessive - use

Edited

It’s so lazy. It would take seconds to edit them out and make it less obvious.

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 20:55

fount · 08/07/2025 20:53

Tangent, but I'm annoyed that people now think em-dashes and the Oxford comma mean something is AI. I love both, and now I feel self-conscious using them. Incidentally, I use AI daily for work, as well, but my love of a good em-dash goes back decades.

Not long ago, an over-reliance on the word 'ensure' and its variants would have been a dead giveaway, but it seems to have grown out of that (or maybe my repeated wrist slaps have finally had the desired effect on the one I'm using, though it does still try to sneak emojis by me despite frequently being told that they're a no-no).

It’s more that AI uses way more em dashes that it needs to. It often uses them when commas would be the more usual form of punctuation. Obviously, it’s not a foolproof tell and plenty of people use em dashes all the time, but if they’re there in abundance, it’s time to get suspicious.

I’m a fellow Oxford comma fan.

Mingenious · 08/07/2025 20:54

My boss does 95% of his work on CGPT and we can all spot it from a mile away because of the excessive - use

fount · 08/07/2025 20:53

Tangent, but I'm annoyed that people now think em-dashes and the Oxford comma mean something is AI. I love both, and now I feel self-conscious using them. Incidentally, I use AI daily for work, as well, but my love of a good em-dash goes back decades.

Not long ago, an over-reliance on the word 'ensure' and its variants would have been a dead giveaway, but it seems to have grown out of that (or maybe my repeated wrist slaps have finally had the desired effect on the one I'm using, though it does still try to sneak emojis by me despite frequently being told that they're a no-no).

FourLove · 08/07/2025 20:51

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 20:32

To be fair, some of the suggested conversation scripts provided by real posters over the years have been more cringey and more flowery than AI could ever manage!

Show quote history

For sure, but - 'Hey!' . Does anyone in the UK make a habit of starting conversations with that, especially tricky ones.

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 20:44

FfaCoff · 08/07/2025 20:38

It wouldn't surprise me if it was newspapers as someone suggested too. In fact I'd prefer to think it was that than Mumsnet.

I think most forums will make their own posts to boost engagement, though, so I’d be very surprised if MN wasn’t doing it (whether they admit it or not). I’m sure newspapers do it too, and AI trainers, people trying to sell things, and trolls…

Bridport · 08/07/2025 20:40

Here's another....

AIBU To think teachers lowkey resent kids?
NattyAzureBalonz · Today 17:58

It's interesting how often the word Eagle comes up in the names.

Original poster

FfaCoff · 08/07/2025 20:38

It wouldn't surprise me if it was newspapers as someone suggested too. In fact I'd prefer to think it was that than Mumsnet.

OP posts:

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 20:32

FourLove · 08/07/2025 20:31

I’m always suspicious of suggestions for starting a difficult conversation with’Hey’.

To be fair, some of the suggested conversation scripts provided by real posters over the years have been more cringey and more flowery than AI could ever manage!

Bridport · 08/07/2025 20:32

Another new thread posted at 19:46 this evening by ForBreezySloth.

AIBU To think drivers are some of the most self-centred people around?

FourLove · 08/07/2025 20:31

I’m always suspicious of suggestions for starting a difficult conversation with’Hey’.

ChoccieCornflake · 08/07/2025 20:31

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 20:26

You’ll find most of them in classics.

Even referencing the classics won’t thwart AI because you could just ask it to do that for you!

Show quote history

oh god no!!! Bastard AI! 😀

must admit I've not read cutted up pear - it was written from the point of view of a pissed off toddler I think

Dangermoo · 08/07/2025 20:30

Yep and I deliberately didn't open any of those threads.

FourLove · 08/07/2025 20:29

So many of these at the moment. There’s a type that starts with ridiculous premises just to get a reaction. So pointless. I’m less irritated by the journalists because at least they have a purpose.

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 20:26

sweeneytoddsrazor · 08/07/2025 20:24

Well not the point of the thread but what was the cut up pear? Penis beaker and Sistene Chapel I know but pear I must have missed.

You’ll find most of them in classics.

Even referencing the classics won’t thwart AI because you could just ask it to do that for you!

sweeneytoddsrazor · 08/07/2025 20:24

Well not the point of the thread but what was the cut up pear? Penis beaker and Sistene Chapel I know but pear I must have missed.

BallerinaRadio · 08/07/2025 20:23

Yep I've mentioned this a few times, most of the things I read on here at the minute I just don't believe and it annoys me when people spend their time and energy getting invested in clearly made up scenarios.

They're easy to spot too like others have said, it's just the turn of phrases and ridiculous little added details that give them away a lot of the time. And the repetitive topics because the first post didn't have the desired effect.

I think if it keeps getting worse people will stop trusting Mumsnet as a forum because you want to know you're reacting to a real person. At the minute AIBU just seems to content harvesting and it's really off putting.

BedlingtonWillow · 08/07/2025 20:21

LavenderBlue19 · 08/07/2025 20:19

This reads so much like so many posts on here at the moment 😂

Show quote history

And of course, I just said to generate a typical post. I could have tailored it a lot more by asking it to write about a specific situation with a particular slant, say a post about a cheating husband that makes me look like a total doormat, and it would do that no problem.