A subreddit is a specific online community where people who have something in common can post. Subreddits have specific rules, moderators, and voting systems for links, posts, and comments. The topic of a subreddit is usually a niche topic, and the subreddit is supposed to follow this focus. Anyone can create a subreddit, and they all have their own rules, moderators, and theme.
The moderators monitor the content on the subreddit and try to maintain a positive environment for people who use them. If the content or behavior goes against community standards, they may get suspended or even banned. Continue reading to determine how to tell if you’ve been banned from a subreddit.
Look for a “You’ve Been Banned” Message
When users are banned from a subreddit by a moderator, they will receive a “You’ve been banned” message. It is sent to you automatically, whether you have previously interacted with the subreddit or not. This is a change from the early days, when there was no message sent.
You can be banned for a specific period of time, or it could be indefinite or permanent. The moderator has the power to make this choice with any subreddit. Once you find yourself in this position, you will not be able to post or comment on anything in this subreddit.
Look for a “Removed” Tag on Your Post
Another way that people are banned from a subreddit is by the AutoModerator Bot. This bot is used by moderators to perform tasks. If you are banned by an AutoModerator, you will not receive a private message. You will still be able to comment and post on the subreddit, but anything you post will be removed right away. The AutoModerator can be commanded to remove all posts from a specific user.
When you are banned through the AutoModerator, you will be able to make your posts and comments, but it will be automatically removed. The way to find out is to check the page where you posted. You will see [removed] in place of your comment or post.
Look at How Much Engagement Your Post Receives
If you are posting and commenting without any engagement from other people on the subreddit, it is likely that you have received a shadowban. This is the most difficult kind of ban to detect because there is no real outward sign. This is a site-wide ban that is automatically triggered if reddit detects any suspicious activity from your account.
The problem is that it will look as though all of your posts and comments are there, but nobody else will be able to see anything you post. If you notice that you aren’t getting any engagements at all, you can take a few steps to find out if you have been shadowbanned.
This is the hardest type of ban to detect because you will not receive a message and it will appear as though your posts are up. If you notice that nobody is responding to anything you post, you can log out of your Reddit account. Then, view your user account page. Go to http://reddit.com/user/your_username. If you have been shadowbanned, you will get an error that says, “page not found.” You can also go to /r/ShadowBanned within reddit and follow their instructions.
It can be frustrating to be banned from a subreddit, so you should pay attention to the rules. There are a number of actions that might get you banned, such as posting too many links, upvoting your submissions with a second account, spamming with posts that promote a link, or posting content that is considered harassing to other users.
If you do find that you are banned, you can message the moderator and try to work something out. They will often give you another chance if you assure them that it was a mistake or that you won’t do whatever resulted in the ban again.