[pantsforbirds]

I wonder if the inspiration for this comes from Bibles? It's a common practice to have direct quotes from Jesus in red.

[indrora]

Something like that.

It's specifically for quotations that come from other sources and are presented verbatim; In the LWN UI settings: "These preferences affect how text that is quoted from other sources (press articles or whatever) in LWN news articles is rendered in your browser."

[freedomben]

I had the same thought! I dismissed it though as perhaps coincidence because anyone used to reading a "red text" bible may find it offensive or at least distasteful to equate other people's words with Jesus. I could very well be overthinking that though and/or be projecting my own religious upbringing (where blasphemy and sacrilegiosity are very sensitive and highly frowned upon. Even saying "he" instead of "He" is looked at as skirting the line).

[pantsforbirds]

It is a very practical way to show someone is being quoted though.