I am trying to have a iOS application read json generated by a rails server. For now, I am just having it be a text file, but the eventual goal is for it to be retrieved via a route.

The iOS application is throwing errors trying to read (which was generated with as\_json):

```
{"created_at"=>Fri, 16 Aug 2013 13:21:07 UTC +00:00, "gender"=>"M", "id"=>1, "location_id"=>1, "max_hit_points"=>nil, "my_name"=>"Jim Bob", "npc_type_id"=>nil, "universe_id"=>1, "updated_at"=>Fri, 16 Aug 2013 13:21:07 UTC +00:00} 

```

when I give that to a json validator (<http://jsonformatter.curiousconcept.com>)

I get several errors about nearly everything, especially how it has "=>" rather than a colon. 

Am I doing something completely weird? Why does rails seem to not generate valid json? Are there somehow multiple types of valid json (arrows vs colons?) How can I make it generate json that the iOS app (or that validator) likes?