Shadow banning, also known as stealth banning, hellbanning, ghost banning, and comment ghosting, is the practice of blocking or partially blocking a user or the users content from some areas of an online platform without notifying the user. The term "shadow banning" has a colloquial history and has undergone some usage evolution. It originally applied to a deceptive sort of account suspension on web forums, where a person would appear to be able to post while actually having all of their content hidden from other users. More recently, the term has come to apply to alternative measures, particularly visibility measures like delisting and downranking.
Shadow banning can occur on various social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others. The reasons for shadow banning can vary, but it is often done to filter out accounts that dont comply with the platforms terms or community guidelines. Violating the platforms guidelines or posting inappropriate content can lead to shadow banning. However, some users have claimed that shadow banning can also be used to limit the visibility of certain political views or to suppress certain users.
If you suspect that you have been shadow banned, there are some steps you can take to try to fix it. These include reviewing the platforms guidelines and avoiding posting inappropriate content, avoiding using banned hashtags, and treating others politely and respectfully. However, most social media platforms deny the use of shadow banning, and it can be difficult to determine if you have been shadow banned or not.
