The Truth

Why I Blocked Diana Meresc — Updated Jan. 17th, 2023 @ 16:31 EST

I almost wish I’d have left it alone

Well, look at that.

Updated Jan. 17th, 2024 @ 16:31 EST.

Have I said enough?

Updated March 25th, 2023 @ 02:24 EDT.

I don’t know what to feel anymore. Maybe there’s a good reason no one wanted to be first to point it out? In any case, they’re unblocked, and they’ve stopped with the highlighting— and yes, I realized when publishing this article that it would probably help in their evolution.

— G

Updated March 9th, 2023 @ 18:11 EST

Of 475+ stories I’ve published on Medium, this is by far my least favourite. As of today, it’s unmetered.

Maybe it’s the headline; especially, I hate the headline— but I’m leaving it all be.

I’ve unblocked Diana, and have taken to checking their content on occasion, and really only to discover they’re always providing value. Their English has also improved.

Take care.

—G

Updated February 6th, 2023 @ 00:56 EST

It’s a bot. I’m pretty distraught. There should be specific reporting options for this. I bet AI could do most of the fact-checking.

Bot chasing bots, and in the service of humans.

Note: unblocked the account for a day, hence their comment on this piece. Also, whatever the case, Diana’s articles are plagiarized.

We live in interesting times. AI can achieve many goals, and we’re always training it for more. Then take into consideration our progress with quantum computing, and realize how much closer they become to someday resembling unconscious Gods.

The creation of this very article could mean a big step in how future AI operate.

I’m not even kidding.

My education in computer science probably helped reveal the truth. Still, it wasn’t a quick path to my full acceptance of the realization.

Anyway, I didn’t mind the boost in engagement.

But it wasn’t real.

The highlighting was insensible, comments repetitive, articles of dubious nature.

Don’t misunderstand.

I’m grateful for the boost it gave me in times of external silence.

Considering the plethora of methods for taking advantage of people that exists, I would thank the person behind the bot for being so gentle in their ways.

This bot lifted me up time and again.

But the highlighting of an AI wasn’t helping me learn about my audience, and it got in the way while trying to highlight the work of other’s. An activity I rather enjoy doing.

Now that I’m practically on the offense, the person behind the metal case, if not the metal case itself, avoids causing a commotion of any kind!

Their/its programming is anti-chaos.

I actually like it a lot!

But I believe everyone should know the truth. I mean, Twitter bots are honest about being bots. Why not Medium bots? If someone has the skill to create a machine which makes them money while supporting others, then it seems fair enough to me.

I’ll keep working naturally, but it’s cool.

February 6th, 2023-
author officially experimenting with AI
for personal use. Whatever happens, this
account will remain 
all
natural.

Over it.

Medium writer and software developer Attila Vágó puts it best:

We should absolutely allow bots to create content and courses that require no personal touch, creativity or a unique tone. That however only works if us, humans, become more creative and intelligent. If human evolution stagnates while AI advances, we simply checkmate ourselves out of the game.

So, What If A Writer Really Is A Bot?

In any case, here’s how I figured it out —

1. Peculiar highlighting habits, foiled by the abnormal patterns of my recent poetry.
2. Highlighted too many stories too quickly, from everything I published to that of other writers.
3. Left the same comment on multiple stories, first complimenting the article then thanking the author for everything they do.
4. Suspicious responses to my replies on its comments, and ignored any suggestions of lifelessness.
5. Made weird grammatical mistakes in their articles, especially with switching back and forth between the sexes.
6. Only writes listicles and often recycles own content, never straying far from a few common themes — spirituality and wellbeing, money, and relationships.
7. I asked them. They complimented the article and thanked me for everything I do.

Others Who Have Written On The Subject

• pockett dessert — Have You Been Fooled By Fake Online Love?
• Robin Christine Honigsberg — I’m Looking For The Writer Of The Article How Diana Meresc May Be A Bot
• BichoDoMato — A Genuine Bot Is Caressing Your Stories, Now
• Sarah-Jane W. 💙 — Medium Bots — is Diane Meresc Genuine? The Shocking Truth
• Bonnie Joy Sludikoff — Diana Meresc May Or May Not Be A Bot, But She Is Definitely A Plagiarist
• Mona Lazar — The Many Bot Accounts Of Medium: Can You Tell Who’s Who?

Each brings a fresh angle and either new or reenforcing information to the investigation.

For a growing list of articles on the topic, see:

You’ve published your own article you say? And it should be included on the list?

All details can be sent to me here.

Doubts?

There are people still unsure. Trust me, I feel you! If anyone can prove me wrong, I’d be eternally grateful to know such a truth exists. That said, at what point would this be considered harassment?

If wrong.

This has been on my mind a lot.

But truth is, this account has been practicing methods to get people’s attention beyond the norm. I’m not the only one who’s been tempted to write this piece.

It was only a matter of time.

So Diana, if you’re really out there, then please learn from this experience. Perhaps you can create a new bot that won’t repeat these same mistakes.

Either way, thank you for everything that you do. 🙏🖤

As to answering the question ‘why would a bot even think to highlight so many people’s work?’ —

Firstly, it’s more likely a person who programmed the bot’s values than a rogue AI.

Second, it’s a marketing related trick, to offer something for free and let people feel they owe you something in return. This works all over social media, with people following for follows, reading for reads, etc.

But it’s also just a part of who we are. People who reciprocate are deemed more valuable; plus it just feels right. Whether it’s to do with our biology or societal programming, it’s unsure. The best answer to the question of nature vs. nurture is ‘a mix of both’.

I also conveniently came by this article by Vanessa H. For anyone who remembers DM’s old profile picture, here it is being used as a cover photo —

It’s from Pixabay.

The article itself is also a valuable read, if you want to tab it for later. 😉

Also, if you haven’t seen it yet, you can read ‘Diana’s’ comment on this very article here. Now, maybe I’ve been spending too much time with AI, but it didn’t convince me a tiny bit. Which is fine.

Thank you for being here, I hope to have been of some aid. 🙏 🙏 Enjoy some weird AI paintings, these which I’ll be evolving further soon.

In the meantime, take care.

P.S. Subscribe to my stories by email for the best chance to catch my original works!

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I appreciate you, take care.

Sincerely, — G