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As of this writing, the bot known as Yobot (talk·contribs) is replacing all instances of <em> HTML code it finds with '' wikimarkup, which is just plain wrong ('' is equivalent to <i> HTML code, not the <em> element). There are probably others, as there are certainly editors who do this semi-automatedly with AWB. — SMcCandlishTalk⇒ ʕ(Õلō)ˀContribs.10:08, 29 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]
SMcCandlish, please explain to me the difference in final appearance to any reader between these:
"Contrary to reports, she was not dead after all." (em template)
"Contrary to reports, she was not dead after all." (wikimarkup)
Other than the (invisible and totally irrelevant to others) motivation of the editor, I don't know of any difference. Please explain why we should use this template rather than normal wikimarkup. -- Valjean (talk) (PING me) 19:14, 10 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Read the HTML specs. It has little to do with visual appearance but rather with semantic meaning. Any WP content can be reused, in ways we cannot predict. Screen readers for the visually impaired can also be configured to treat this markup differently, e.g. by producing vocal emphasis on <em> and nothing special on '' (<i>). This is definitely bad bot and meatbot behavior, contrary to MOS:ITALIC, MOS:EMPHASIS. — SMcCandlish☏¢ 😼 21:50, 10 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]