There has been a lot of talk around social media users being shadow banned from different social media platforms, but what does the term actually mean on the internet? Have you ever been using a social media platform and your engagement with other users/followers just suddenly drops dramatically? You could have been shadow banned.

The term may have become popularised in 2018 after Twitter was accused of shadow banning Republicans, but the term has recently been doing the rounds on TikTok. So, what does the term ‘shadow banned’ actually mean and how does it all work?

Shadow banning, also known as stealth banning, ghost banning or commented ghosting, is the act of blocking or partially blocking a user from a platform without it being apparent to that user.

A specific user’s posts, likes or comments within an online community or on a particular social media platform would be hidden from all other users. However, the user in question would not be aware of this as their content would still be visible from their own device.

The hope is that by shadow banning a particular user, they will become frustrated or bored and leave the site, or would cause more hassle to spammers and trolls who must then create new accounts if they wish to continue harassing a certain community.

You can also be shadow banned from certain video games.

The vast majority of social media platforms will use or have used some type of shadow banning tool at some point; notably Craigslist, Reddit, Twitter and Instagram.

Interestingly, the first case of shadow banning was described in the mid-1980s on Bulletin Board Systems forums. Specifically, the ‘Citadel’ BBS software would deem certain problematic users as ‘twits’ who could still read public discussions, but whose posts would not be shown to members of that group.

The criteria for becoming shadow banned depends on the particular platform, but usually involves some form of politically incorrect posts and information, anti-vaccination information, anything that exposes aspects of globalism, spamming, abusive behaviour, copyright infringement. An ‘abuser’ can be identified by his or her flagged keywords and expressions. For example the term ‘White Pride’.

If you are shadow banned from a certain community, the way to get un-shadow banned will vary depending on the platform. However, the usual advice is to delete all content that could potentially go against the platform’s terms of service, uninstall/reinstall the app and just wait it out,  sometimes shadow bans are only temporary, so may only last a few days or weeks. Source 1, Source 2

Help us to reach out to others by sharing our stories with address book friends.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

MICHAEL WALSH is a journalist, broadcaster and the author of RISE OF THE SUN WHEEL, EUROPE ARISE,  TROTSKY’S WHITE NEGROES, MEGACAUST,  DEATH OF A CITY, WITNESS TO HISTORY, THE BUSINESS BOOSTER , THE FIFTH COLUMN VOLUME I and II, FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK, IMMORTAL BELOVED, THE ALL LIES INVASION, INSPIRE A NATION Volume I, INSPIRE A NATION Volume II , SLAUGHTER OF A DYNASTY , REICH AND WRONG,  THE RED BRIGANDS, RANSACKING THE REICH ,    SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD RIECH: ARNO BREKER AND REICH SCULPTORS  , SCULPTURES OF THE THIRD RIECH:  JOSEF THORAK AND REICH SCULPTORS ,   The Exiled Duke Romanov Who Turned Desert Into Paradise , THE DOVETAILS , SEX FEST AT TIFFANY’S  and other book titles. These illustrated best-selling books are essential for the libraries of informed readers.

MICHAEL WALSH NOVELS

The revenge of a predator is a city-vigilante epic better than Death Wish A LEOPARD IN LIVERPOOL , 55 lavishly illustrated first-hand stories by a Liverpool sailor THE LEAVING OF LIVERPOOL, Latest Killer-Thriller From Michael Walsh the City Vigilante Supremo The Stigma Enigma , A powerful thought-provoking paranormal romance The Soul Meets, How to form a naughty ménage a trois THE DOVETAILS and SEX FEST AT TIFFANY’S.

Latest Michael Walsh bestsellers: Those who fall victim to the taxman, banks and moneylenders are victims of legalised mugging  DEBTOR’S REVENGE, The Business Booster shows you how to double your profits not your workload THE BUSINESS BOOSTER 

MICHAEL WALSH is a journalist, author, and broadcaster. His 64 books include best-selling RHODESIA’S DEATH EUROPE’S FUNERAL, AFRICA’S KILLING FIELDS,  THE LAST GLADIATORS, A Leopard in Liverpool, RISE OF THE SUN WHEEL, EUROPE ARISE, FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK, THE ALL LIES INVASION, INSPIRE A NATION Volume I, INSPIRE A NATION Volume II, and many other book titles. These illustrated best-selling books are essential for the libraries of informed readers.

The author’s books available for purchase by visiting his website BOOKSTORE, and POETRY  links.

We are in debt to our donors who finance the distribution of spin-free real news and fearlessly expressed views.

KEEP REAL NEWS OPEN: Donate by using Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, registered mail or contact Michael Walsh: keyboardcosmetics@gmail.com or euroman_uk@yahoo.co.uk 2) Follow our blog. 3) Share our stories and 4) buy our author-signed books. 5) Receive free newsletters by writing subscribe to euroman_uk@yahoo.co.uk

BOOKS THAT CHALLENGE, INSPIRE, INFORM Michael Walsh, ‘Writer of the Year’ with a strong global following. Nearly 65 interesting Amazon book titles famed for changing and improving lives. CLICK TO VIEW

www.mikewalshwritingservices.wordpress.com

New stories every day!

EUROPE RENAISSANCE

https://europerenaissance.wordpress.com/