# Proposed rule: cut-and-paste from AI must be in quote box **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 27, 2026, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051 "2026-02-27T16:01:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/61 "2026-03-02T00:31:26Z")
I’ll repost what I wrote in another thread > [@What were you THINKING?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6729): > > I wouldn’t be against a rule that required posters to make it blindingly obvious when their post was written/‘researched’ by AI. I know people generally mention it, ie ‘I asked ChatGPT…’, but I think it should be more obvious than that. Something more along the lines of it being required, for example, to be in a quote box with blue text or maybe collapsed (‘hide details’) with something explaining it. Similar to how mods collapse posts that are unrelated to the thread when they’re trying to get things back on track. > > Also, I think, at the very least, the poster should be posting the links to wherever the bot got it’s data from, if they’re provided. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2026, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/62 "2026-03-02T01:11:24Z")
> [@What were you THINKING?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6729): > > Also, I think, at the very least, the poster should be posting the links to wherever the bot got it’s data from, if they’re provided. Which “AI”, whether it was a “new chat” on not, and exactly what the query was. Because it’s known that a continuing session can result in the “AI” answering questions in ways that are less than accurate. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2026, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/63 "2026-03-02T02:49:01Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > If my cite isn’t going to be accepted as reliable shouldn’t it be up to me to find one that is? It all depends. Say you use a Al Jazeera or Israel news item for the war? going on. Both of those are biased, but trying to find a neutral cite might be difficult. And the NY Post can be right, and is sometimes entertaining, but warn people. > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > As with Google dumps and Wikipedia, LLMs are, perhaps, reasonable places to start looking for a/an cite/cites but, as of now, they shouldn’t be accepted, or used, as a cite on their own. Wikipedia is sometimes a bit off on some controversial news item, but by and large, it is fine for stuff like “Nations in order of Population” or “crime rate” ect. In fact, IMHO wiki is about as good as any other cite- they do give references, you know. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/64 "2026-03-06T01:39:52Z")
Just an FYI to the thread, both @What_Exit and myself have started editing posts with AI content along the lines of the discussions above. Namely, the particular AI source is being **bolded** , and the AI specific text/quote being placed in a quote box. Again, a best practice way to comply with the TOS rules above. And so far, only in P&E and GD for myself (duh). I have done my best to NOT otherwise edit the quote content beyond the above, though I did do some minor formatting changes (generally just placing stuff on it’s own line) to improve the distinction. Please feel free to leave _polite_ feedback if you think it helps, hurts, or is an abomination unto Og. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/65 "2026-03-06T01:43:20Z")
If we’re not actively reading a thread, we’re not going to notice these AI quotes. So we’ll need flags and such. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/66 "2026-03-06T01:49:43Z")
The examples I’ve seen of your edit work so far are clear and obvious, yet ubobtrusive. We (y’all really) aren’t going to satisfy the folks who wish AI content was banned. But as an exercise in truth in labeling, it’s a winner. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/67 "2026-03-06T02:36:59Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Please feel free to leave _polite_ feedback if you think it helps, hurts, or is an abomination unto Og. Looks good to me. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/68 "2026-03-06T16:47:47Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Please feel free to leave _polite_ feedback if you think it helps, hurts, or is an abomination unto Og. I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/69 "2026-03-06T17:45:50Z")
What I like about it is that by bolding the source (the AI engine) and putting the quote in a quote box, it makes it explicit where it’s from and what exactly came from it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/70 "2026-03-06T17:46:59Z")
Maybe next week, we’ll pin the instructions for a week like I just did for the new tag. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/71 "2026-03-19T17:02:21Z")
I’m currently composing a post. I pasted in an AI summary but can’t get it in a quote box. I’ve tried [quote] and \< quote \> (without the spaces) with no luck. Help? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/72 "2026-03-19T17:08:19Z")
I’m out right now so on my phone. Easiest way on most devices is to highlight the text with your mouse finger or other pointer and then hit the quote icon in the editing bar. (With bold, italic, link, etc is) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/73 "2026-03-19T17:15:05Z")
Oops, never mind - I got it. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/74 "2026-03-19T17:17:13Z")
You can just start the paragraph you are quoting with a \> character and it turns into a quote. That’s the super easy way to do it. ```auto > This is a quote ``` Becomes: > This is a quote. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/75 "2026-03-19T17:17:47Z")
Cool! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/76 "2026-03-19T17:19:02Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I’ve tried [quote] and \< quote \> (without the spaces) with no luck. Using the toolbar is easiest, and typing \> is next easiest. But sometimes the [quote] tag is easier for multiple paragraphs with bullets, and it still works. The trick is you need to have the starting and ending tag on their own lines. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/77 "2026-03-19T17:23:22Z")
So: ```auto [quote] This is a quote! This is still part of the quote! [/quote] This is no longer part of the quote. ``` Becomes: > [@](#): > > This is a quote! > > This is still part of the quote! This is no longer part of the quote. > [@TroutMan](#): > > The trick is you need to have the starting and ending tag on their own lines. This is the secret. Make sure there is no other text in the same line as either quote tag and it should work. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051/78 "2026-03-19T17:24:19Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > This is the secret. Make sure there is no other text in the same line as either quote tag and it should work. Aaah, thank you! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-rule-cut-and-paste-from-ai-must-be-in-quote-box/1028051.md?page=3)