What does *this* mean?

[Bardo]

I keep seeing *asterisks* used as punctuation which is apparently a new *development*.  What is *this* supposed to indicate?  What are the appropriate rules of usage? 

Signed,
Punctuation Nazi

[Russ]

Emphasis, sarcasm, etc.; use context clues.
Asterisks replace italics, underlining, and bolding where those aren't available (texting)

[Rezdent]

It is certainly much easier to reach the asterisk than some other punctuation on my phone keyboard.
Thanks for the tip, Punctuation Nazi.  I will certainly use this instead of quotation marks going forward!

[forummm]

I keep seeing *asterisks* used as punctuation which is apparently a new *development*.  What is *this* supposed to indicate?  What are the appropriate rules of usage? 

Signed,
Punctuation Nazi

It's a way to emphasize something without having to type out some annoying bracketed tags.

[wordnerd]

Emphasis. In fact, Gchat bolds anything you put between two asterisks.

[Rufus.T.Firefly]

I've often seen it used to narrate a physical action/emotion.

Example: I'm not very good at grammar. The Punctuation Nazi will probably find a mistake and think less of me ... *looks sheepish*

[BlueHouse]

It's typically been the hotkey for bold.  If you *asterisk* something, most windows-based programs will automatically turn it to bold.  Nowadays?  No idea.  I'm old school

[Rubyist]

I've often seen it used to narrate a physical action/emotion.

Example: I'm not very good at grammar. The Punctuation Nazi will probably find a mistake and think less of me ... *looks sheepish*

Yeah, this is the only use I'm familiar with.

[Andrea_R]

Emphasis! I too think so!

[Lski'stash]

They are quotation marks for sarcasm or a different denotation than what the literal words mean when quotation marks are not available.

Example: Jill and Jack are going to 'watch a movie' tonight;)

[Alchemilla]

*Enters the thread* I always read them like stage directions, or to indicate something one is *pedantry* unsure of.

[Gerard]

*Enters the thread* I always read them like stage directions, or to indicate something one is *pedantry* unsure of.

Of which one is unsure? </pedantry> :-)

[Slam]

On Reddit if you type *this* and hit save, it comes out looking like this

[KittyCat]

As others have stated, it's oftentimes for emphasis, especially in a medium that lacks convenient means for which to express said emphasis. It's also used to indicate an action like *looks up the use of asterisks in chats*. In my early chatting I used tildes to show my actions because I wanted to be different. ~still does that~

[Jack]

*bold*
/italics/
_underline_

[Alchemilla]

*Enters the thread* I always read them like stage directions, or to indicate something one is *pedantry* unsure of.

Of which one is unsure? </pedantry> :-)

Nice.