Bot posts - how do you spot them?

[estrogone]

I see lots of references to bot posts - are these literally posted by bots or does this expression mean AI content posted by a person?

How do you spot a bot?

Sorry for a dumb question. Genuinely curious (I am not a bot btw).

The OP posts various paragraphs basically saying the same thing in multiple posts without responding to comments / query

Americanisms can be a giveaway.

”AIBU about too many carols this holiday?”

I think posts by people wanting to gather info for a media article ( usually brief vague OP giving no personal story just wanting opinions and in AIBU without an AIBU problem) or bad actors/ attention seekers ( far fetched fast moving story with lots of posters begging for the next instalment ) are more common than bots. Plus people posting in AIBZu who just want approval and get stroppy when told they ABU

I find it’s often a post that sparks a strong reaction (eg. My SIL came round, shat on my carpet and gave my toddler ketamine). Posters will be up in arms, often starting mass verbal brawls, and the OP never makes a second post.

If a post sounds a bit far-fetched, the first thing to do is check if OP has made any replies.

I agree about the lack of replies and engagement in their thread. It's not hard to come back and show gratitude for those offering answers, but bots never do.

Sometimes perhaps it’s to do with the use of language. Very long-winded posts with lots of padding, the situations and people described vaguely without concrete (interesting) detail, repetitive, taking ages to get to the point.

Also posters who tend to ‘blow with the wind’ - like one person disagrees, they’ll accept that, then the next poster says the opposite and they’ll lean toward that position. Like ChatGpt (sp?) with its obsequious manner. Or they start something outrageously controversial and never come back at all.

But I’m not sure. I’ve heard some people saying that you can always tell because of the use of the em-dash, or other stylistic features which I would have thought were just personal choice. And real people sometimes do all the stuff I’ve just mentioned anyway!

This reminds me that Jane Austen was a prolific user of the em-dash. Now I think of it, so was I as a teenager. Not claiming any alignment of talent here.