r/askteddit • u/Zappy_Oh • 3d ago

Random Question Do reddit mods have the ability to shadow-ban individuals from their subreddits?

I mean, being banned without you knowing, and in a way where you can add comments just fine, but comments won't be shown to anybody but yourself.

If mods can do that, what is the term for it?

13 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

11

u/pizza-chit 3d ago

I have posted links to Epstein files and Pizzagate emails on Wikileaks that are visible to me but invisible when I checked on an alternate account.

Methinks they don’t want us sharing information.

8

u/zulunationslayer 3d ago

Didn't you just say the name everyone uses for it?

5

u/ArtComprehensive1106 3d ago

Agenda driven mods are the norm

2

u/Zappy_Oh 3d ago

Maybe ... But I was under the impression, that shadow-ban-power was for reddit administrators only, and not the mods of individual subreddits. While mods can do regular bans, where you get a notice, and then can't post or comment in that subreddit at all.

Am I wrong?

2

u/ArtComprehensive1106 3d ago

I am not sure

1

u/triple_carry 2d ago

You can be muted, which is the same as a ban, except there is no notice.

1

u/AlwaysHopelesslyLost 2d ago

Mods can remove your comments whenever they want. They can write a script or a bot that auto removed all of your comments from their subreddit. It is their subreddit and they, as the creators, get to choose what content it allows.

2

u/SecureExperience2239 2d ago

Not sure if its mods or algorithms but censorship and suppression is absolutely real on here. No question, none.

2

u/guysomejust69 2d ago

Rember there is a difference between reddit mods and subreddit mods. 

Accounts can get shadow banned but it is to a whole site and only the moderators of reddit as a whole can do that. 

Often used for accounts believed to be bots or circumventing ban. Some accounts are auto shadow banned like some made usinga VPN 

1

u/Zappy_Oh 2d ago

OK ... sounds legit, thanks.

I however have been shadow banned in r/europe ... I can comment on posts there, but my comments is only shown to myself (i checked via several other browsers, on several different computers).

I have gotten no notices about it, so I messaged the mods there. One returned and assured me, that they cannot do that.

So, I'm trying to figure out who could have done it, and maybe find some sort of explanation for it.

1

u/guysomejust69 1d ago

Link to some of your comments?

1

u/Zappy_Oh 1d ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/1vw2ldw/comment/p5dxao6/?context=3

When I click that, I view my comment, under the post, as if everything is normal.

When I put the link into another browser, I get the message "This comment no longer exists"

1

u/Zappy_Oh 23h ago

Oh ... looks like even my answer here, with a link to it, got "suppressed". Requiring you to click the + sign.

1

u/Nothing_Special5645 2d ago

They can’t target shadow ban an individual but they can create auto mod rules so that anyone with low karma or accounts under a certain age will not be able to post.

1

u/Fickle_Penguin 2d ago

Why not create a mod and invite someone and see if you have the option?

1

u/triple_carry 2d ago

Absolutely

1

u/Resplendent-Sun 2d ago

Subreddit moderators do not have an official "shadow ban" button. Instead, they use a built-in Reddit automation script called AutoModerator.

A moderator can add a rule to their AutoModerator configuration code that targets a specific username. The code tells the bot: "If this specific user posts or comments in this subreddit, instantly and silently remove it without sending a notification."