From double-spacing after periods to signing your texts like formal letters, these unconscious digital behaviors are broadcasting your generation louder than any birth certificate ever could.
Last week at my local coffee shop, I watched a twenty-something effortlessly switch between apps with lightning-fast thumb movements while the person next to them carefully typed out a text with their index finger. Both were accomplishing the same task, but their approaches told completely different stories.
After years of observing human behavior, I've become fascinated by these subtle digital tells. Technology evolves so quickly that the habits we formed just a few years ago can suddenly make us seem out of touch.
The thing is, none of these habits are inherently wrong. But if you're wondering why younger colleagues exchange knowing glances when you handle your phone, or why your kids roll their eyes at your social media posts, these might be the culprits.
1. Double-spacing after periods in texts and emails
Remember learning to type on an actual typewriter or taking that keyboarding class where double-spacing after periods was mandatory?
If you're still doing this in your texts, emails, or social media posts, you're basically wearing a digital badge that says "I learned to type before 1990." Modern typography and digital communication have made this practice obsolete, yet many can't shake it.
The single space has been standard for decades now in digital communication. Breaking this habit takes conscious effort, but it instantly modernizes your written communication.
2. Using ellipses incorrectly in casual messages
"Okay..."
"See you later..."
"That sounds good..."
Do these look familiar? If you're adding ellipses to the end of perfectly normal statements, you might be unintentionally sending mixed signals.
To younger generations, ellipses in casual texts often read as passive-aggressive, uncertain, or even ominous. What you mean as a thoughtful pause comes across as "I'm annoyed but won't say it directly."
A friend recently showed me a text from her mom that read "Have fun tonight..." She spent twenty minutes analyzing whether her mother was upset with her. Her mom? Just thought ellipses made texts look more polite.
Save the ellipses for when you're genuinely trailing off or creating suspense. Otherwise, a simple period or no punctuation at all works perfectly in casual digital communication.
3. Typing out full URLs instead of using shortened links
When was the last time you typed out "www" before a web address?
If you're still including the full "https://www." in your messages or manually typing complete URLs instead of copying and pasting or using link shorteners, you're revealing your digital age. Most modern browsers and platforms automatically handle these prefixes, and link sharing has become much more streamlined.
During my financial analyst days, I remember meticulously typing out entire web addresses in reports. Now? I cringe thinking about all that wasted time and how dated those documents must look.
4. Calling instead of texting for simple questions
"Can you pick up milk on your way home?"
Does this really require a phone call? If your first instinct is to dial rather than text for quick questions or simple confirmations, you might be showing your generational cards.
Younger generations view unexpected phone calls as borderline emergencies. They prefer the asynchronous nature of texting, which allows them to respond when convenient without the pressure of immediate interaction.
This doesn't mean phone calls are obsolete. Complex discussions, emotional conversations, and urgent matters still warrant a call. But for quick check-ins or simple questions, a text usually suffices.
5. Excessive emoji use or using them literally
😂😂😂😂😂 after every mildly amusing comment? Using the crying emoji when you're actually sad? These habits instantly age your digital communication.
Emoji usage has evolved into a nuanced language with unspoken rules that shift constantly. The laugh-cry emoji that dominated texts five years ago? Now it's considered outdated by Gen Z, who prefer the skull emoji (💀) to indicate something is funny.
Similarly, using emojis too literally (like a thermometer emoji when discussing being sick) or overdoing them in professional contexts can make you seem out of touch with current digital communication norms.
6. Treating social media like a personal diary
"Just had the most amazing tuna sandwich for lunch! Then went to the bank, stood in line for 20 minutes (ugh!), but the teller was so nice..."
Sound familiar? Detailed play-by-plays of mundane daily activities are a dead giveaway of someone who joined social media when it was still about "status updates."
Modern social media usage tends toward curated highlights, specific purposes, or meaningful shares. The stream-of-consciousness posting that characterized early Facebook has given way to more intentional content.
This shift hit me during one of my digital detox weekends. When I returned to social media, I realized how much noise I'd been contributing versus actual value or connection.
7. Signing off on text messages
"See you at dinner tonight!
Love, Mom"
"Thanks for the report.
Best regards,
John"
If you're signing your texts like letters, especially with your name, you're telegraphing that you learned communication etiquette in the pre-digital age.
Text messages are inherently personal and immediate. The recipient already knows who's sending them. Formal sign-offs in casual texts create unnecessary distance and formality.
Save the signatures for emails (and even then, many are dropping them in ongoing conversations). In texts, your words can simply end when your thought does.
8. Taking photos with an iPad at public events
Nothing announces your demographic quite like holding up a tablet to capture your grandchild's recital or blocking everyone's view at a concert with your iPad.
While tablets take decent photos, they weren't designed to be cameras in social situations. Using them as such not only dates you but often frustrates those around you trying to enjoy the same event.
Smartphones have incredible cameras now. They're discrete, designed for quick photo-taking, and won't make you look like you're reading a newspaper while trying to capture a moment.
Final thoughts
Here's what I've learned after filling dozens of journals with observations about human behavior: these habits aren't character flaws. They're simply markers of when we each entered the digital world and how it shaped our communication styles.
But awareness is powerful. We can learn to read and adapt our digital behaviors. Some of these habits might be worth updating if they're creating communication barriers or professional blind spots.
Others? Maybe they're worth keeping. After all, proper grammar and thoughtful communication never really go out of style, even if the double-space after a period does.
The goal isn't to pretend to be younger or to abandon all formality. It's about conscious communication and understanding how our digital habits might be perceived by others.
What subtle tech habits have you noticed in yourself or others? Sometimes the most revealing behaviors are the ones we don't even realize we're doing.
