Re:Passing the torch
by grzm on Monday October 02, 2017 @04:05PM
(#15387449)
If what I've observed, the HN mods are pretty good at leaving a comment when someone's been banned. Sounds like there are two perhaps different understandings of shadowbanning: banning without letting someone know, and allowing a user to continue to post with their comments being dead by default. If someone hasn't read their responses (which can happen) one might not be aware they are banned. Am I understanding you correctly in that you're referring to the first (no notice) vs the second (dead comments)?
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Shadowbanning is, to me, banning that results in the user still believing they aren't banned and that their posts appear, to them, to be posted normally. Shadow banning means the user doesn't even know they were banned and still sees their posts being posted as if there has been no change.
They may only notice the difference after they have logged out and then checked to see if their post has actually been posted like normal. It seems insidious, perhaps nefarious was too strong a word. I can see where some people might have earned such a ban, however.