How To Tell if an Account is Shadowbanned on Reddit

Reddit lets moderators ban users for breaking the rules or practicing unethical behavior. When you’ve been shadowbanned from the platform, you might not know what has happened because you can still use the site. However, everything you post disappears into the ether without anyone seeing it.

If you suspect that you’ve been shadowbanned, keep reading. We’ll show you how to find out if your Reddit account has been blocked.

Reddit – How to Find Out if You’ve Been Shadowbanned

Reddit doesn’t notify you when your account has been shadowbanned. You can continue to use the site in the same way as always. You can post, comment, and all the rest of it. However, your carefully crafted messages will vanish without anyone ever seeing them. Fortunately, there are methods you can use to find out if Reddit has blocked you. Check them out here.

Incognito Mode

If you’ve been shadowbanned, the easiest way to find out is to check if your last post was visible to anyone else on Reddit.

If you haven’t posted in a while, create a new Reddit post. Before hitting send, make sure that your post doesn’t have unnecessary links and is relevant to the topic. Also, ensure that it follows all of Reddit’s rules. That way, you can be sure that a moderator won’t delete it and it can be used to determine if you’ve been banned.

With your post ready, hit send and copy the URL displayed on your web browser. You can now paste it into another browser opened in incognito mode. If you can see the post, then you haven’t been shadowbanned. However, if the page that opens has a message that says “removed,” then your witty words didn’t make it onto Reddit.

In all likelihood the platform has quietly decided that things aren’t working out between you. You have indeed been shadowbanned. Like with every breakup, groveling might help. Contact Reddit and ask them what you need to do to get your account back. Alternatively, you can start over using a new email address. This time, try not to repeat the mistakes that got you shadowbanned in the first place.

Ask on /r/ShadowBan

Reddit comes down hard on rule breakers. As one of the most regulated sites out there, it’s no surprise that thousands have been banned from the site. The platform even has a subreddit dedicated to those who’ve # faced this plight. To check if you are included in this group, head over to /r/ShadowBan and send a post. It doesn’t have to say anything specific. It just needs to be something you can submit. The subreddit bot will reply and update you on your status. If you’ve been shadowbanned, you’ll get a message that says, “(your username), you are shadowbanned.” It doesn’t get any clearer than that.

Third-Party App

Third-party web apps like Reddit Shadowban Tester can help you determine if your account has been banned. Just type your username onto the site and wait for a response. If the reply is “looks normal,” your account is active and operating normally. Any other response means that you’ve been shadowbanned.

How to Find Out If Your Account Has Other Reddit Bans

Aside from shadowbans, Reddit also has other types of bans that can be used to restrict accounts. These include account suspensions, subreddit bans, and automoderator bans.

Subreddit Ban

Subreddit moderators can ban users from their respective communities. These restrictions can last for a specific period, or they could be indefinite. A subreddit ban prevents you from posting or commenting in that group. Unlike a shadowban, you’ll receive a message letting you know that your account activities have been restricted. The message will also explain why this action has been taken against you and how long the ban will last.

Automoderator Ban

The automoderator bot can ban you from posting or commenting on a subreddit. Platform moderators can use the bot feature to execute tasks on the site. These include removing posts or comments made by users. Unlike other subreddit bans, which prevent users from posting and commenting on the platform, the automoderator ban will allow you to post but will remove these posts and comments immediately.

Account Suspension

Reddit account suspension is a combination of a shadowban and a subreddit ban. Like a shadowban, your account can only be suspended by a Reddit admin and not a moderator. However, you will get a notification letting you know that your account is temporarily inactive in this situation.

If your account is suspended, you won’t be able to participate in Reddit’s activities, like voting, posting, or sending messages. Your account content will still be visible to other users for a temporary suspension. However, if the suspension is permanent, your account will not display any data.

Compared to a shadowban, account suspensions are easier to navigate. They give users a chance to correct their mistakes without losing access to their accounts. They also allow Reddit administrators to explain why action has been taken against the user.

Why You Have Been Banned on Reddit

Reddit will ban your account if you violate the platform’s rules and guidelines.

Too Many Links

Including too many links in your posts will raise some red flags, and this suspicious behavior will eventually get you banned. When posting links, ensure that you are following Reddit’s guidelines.

Upvoting Your Posts

Reddit frowns upon users who use their secondary accounts to upvote their posts. Doing this is likely to get you banned. Reddit bans this activity because they’re trying to lock out spammers. If you’re going to upvote, ensure that you aren’t violating any Reddit rules.

Harassment

Harassment is a common issue on Reddit. In 2015, the platform took a strong stance against this behavior. Users who bully others online will be banned from the platform.

Posting Spam

Self-promotion doesn’t go down well on Reddit. Sharing the same post multiple times on different subreddits is a good way to get yourself shadowbanned. You can try sharing these posts after brief intervals as a workaround. You might just manage to carry out your self-promotion under the radar.

Off-Topic Posts

Subreddits focus on a particular topic. Going in there and posting content unrelated to the subreddit will get you kicked out.

Are You In or Out?

Getting shadowbanned on Reddit can be unpleasant, especially as you might not find out that you have been banned right away. While you’ll still be able to use the site and view other people’s posts and comments, you won’t be able to participate in conversations on the platform. This article not only shows you how to find out if you’ve been shadowbanned, but it also explains why the ban may have occurred in the first place. If you find yourself kicked off the platform, contact the site operators to see if they will reverse their decision.

Have you been shadowbanned on Reddit? How did you find out? Let us know in the comments section below.