Wikipedia talk:Don't use a billboard signature
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The unfocused eyes method
editI think the following is a fair objective test for whether a signature is overly "bold", whether it's because of highlighting or some other reason. View a talk page that has a lot of your comments as well as a lot of comments from other editors. Force your eyes out of focus and then scroll down somewhat quickly through the entire page. If your signature "stands out" more than normal text and most other signatures, it's probably overly "bold" and should be toned down.
It's not foolproof since the page may contain other overly "bold" signatures, and you may need to perform the test on multiple pages with different mixes of editors. If your signatures are often among the most prominent features on the page, you are at least pushing the limits. For the greater good, consider not pushing the limits.
I'm not sure whether or how this might fit into the essay. It is obviously not specific to highlighted sigs. ―Mandruss ☎ 10:42, 18 September 2018 (UTC)