I’ve Noticed Something Odd About the Comment Section
Is it just me?
Over the last year, I’ve noticed something odd about the comment section.
Don’t get me wrong: I love the comments I receive most of the time. Even the ones that take me off guard bring a certain level of humanity right to my digital front door.
But, in the last year, something about the comment section has felt…off.
That’s the only way I know how to describe it.
This is what I mean.
The Uncanny Valley of Words
The term “Uncanny Valley” is typically associated with robotics and CGI, where characters or robots appear almost, but not quite, human, creating a sense of unease.
I’ve begun to sense a similar phenomenon in the realm of words, particularly in the comments on my Medium stories.
It’s as if these comments are written by entities that are trying to mimic human conversation but fall just short of the mark. They contain the right words, the sentences are grammatically correct, and yet, something crucial is missing.
At first glance, these comments seem normal.
They often start with a compliment or a generic observation about the article.
Here’s an example from one of my stories:
Upon closer inspection, the language feels hollow, almost as if it’s been carefully constructed by an algorithm learning to emulate human speech.
The tone is off — too formal or oddly structured, creating a jarring reading experience. It’s like listening to a well-programmed speech synthesizer — the voice is there, but the soul is not.
This disconnect goes beyond the mere oddity of expression.
It’s the lack of genuine engagement with the content. Real human comments often contain personal anecdotes, emotional reactions, or thoughtful questions.
They might agree, disagree, or offer a new perspective. But these uncanny comments? They lack this depth.
They don’t seem to grasp the nuances of the article, nor do they add any meaningful discourse to the conversation. There are surface-level ideas that might apply to any number of articles (maybe all of them).
Just look at the screenshot example:
- “You raised some excellent points” (Which ones?)
- “I particularly liked your take on this topic” (What topic?)
- “I’d be interested in learning more of your thoughts on this” (How? Where? Thoughts on what?)
They’re like echoes of human interaction — recognizable but eerily empty.
The effect of reading these comments is disorienting. As a writer, I enjoy any engagement from readers. It’s part of what I love about Medium that I don’t get from any of my other writing.
I hear from you — I learn new things, connect, laugh, and try to engage back.
After all, I write to communicate, to share ideas, to start dialogues. But when the responses feel automated, it’s like speaking into a void. The human element of connection and interaction is lost, replaced by a superficial mimicry of conversation.
Advanced AI or Old-School Comment Spam?
This phenomenon raises several questions: Why do these comments exist? Are they the product of bots, designed to increase engagement metrics artificially?
Or are they written by people following a formulaic approach to online interaction, losing the essence of genuine communication in the process?
Are we talking ChatGPT, Bard, or Gemini? Or simple old-school comment spam by fraudsters or internet strangers taking a conversational shortcut and hoping none of us notice?
Regardless of their origin, the presence of these comments is unsettling.
They blur the line between genuine human interaction and artificial articulation, leaving us in the uncanny valley of words.
This Is Closer…But Still No Cigar
Let’s look at another example straight out of my comments:
Keep in mind that I come across dozens of these (at least), probably many more over the last year.
This particular comment comes closer to a real response by a real person. It mentions a few fly-over (or quickly scanned) topics in the actual article. However, the way it is constructed — so formal — still seems a bit off.
Sure, it could be written by a real person (maybe).
But, it could just as easily been generated by an AI. Except, ironically, an AI probably would have sounded more human.
What Does This All Mean?
Ultimately, it doesn’t mean much. There are bots on all social media platforms, AI wriggling its digital worm body into every nook and cranny of our lives.
There is probably a bot in your DMs somewhere.
In every comment section, you’ll see them. Most of the time, they are obvious. I don’t know who they fool, if they even fool anyone at all.
It’s a waste of digital space but that’s about it. It’s digital garbage that clogs up the internet. Nothing more. And I like leveraging AI for lots of reasons. This is just not one of them.
Have You Seen It, Too?
Is it just me? Have you seen it on Medium, too? I’m very curious and would love to know. Anyone who does decide to comment (and you certainly don’t have to), it would make my day if you wrote your comment like an exaggerated bot.
Nothing would make me happier. 😜
Like stories about Medium? I have a whole list: Medium Secrets…Shhh, Don’t Tell Anyone
