A Complete Guide to Social Media Shadowbanning

Social media has become an integral part of our lives. It’s where we connect with friends, family, and people that share our interests. Social media is also a powerful tool for businesses to reach their target audience. But what happens when your business gets shadowbanned from these vital and integral business marketing platforms? What are the consequences? How should your social media strategy change? And how can you get back to good standing?

Read on to find out more about what it means to have been shadowbanned on social media. Learn how to get our accounts back online, and what not to do to avoid being shadowbanned again. 

What is Shadowbanning?

Shadowbanning is a ban on a user account and the content shared that’s, imposed by the social media platform’s specific algorithms. This can be done by a moderator or admin of the platform without any notification to the user. 

It means that you won’t know you’re shadowbanned, and your content will slowly become invisible to your audience and other platform users. 

What Happens When Your Account Gets Shadowbanned?

According to a Posting Into the Void survey report, there are different types of shadowbanning.

Let’s have a look at some of the most common signs of you getting shadowbanned.

• Your Account Engagement Rate Drops

The engagement rate determines how well your social media content is performing, and its sudden drop might be a sign your account is shadowbanned.

• Your Content Is Hidden From Your Audience

Another sign your content has been shadowbanned is it disappearing from your current users’ feeds. Your followers will have access to your account and be able to see your posts there, but your content will not load in their newsfeeds. 

• Your Account Is Being Blocked From Doing Certain Features 

There’s a chance the social media platforms you use will temporarily block you from liking, sharing, commenting, or replying when you get shadowbanned.

Since shadowbanning isn’t an officially recognized term among social media giants, it’s difficult to say for how long your content will remain invisible, but it can very well last a month or more. 

• Your Account Username Isn’t Showing Up In Search Suggestions. 

If you’ve disappeared from the search results of users that do not already follow you, your account is likely shadowbanned.  

• Your Hashtags Aren’t Searchable. 

Whether you use a restricted hashtag or not, your hashtag won’t be searchable when your account is shadowbanned. Sometimes, you may encounter hashtags that have been “muted” on their own due to the nature of content other users have posted in association with the hashtag.

Shadowbans are usually not permanent and you can expect the ban to be lifted once you remove the inappropriate shadowban. People report that an Instagram shadowban is usually lifted after 2 to 4 weeks.

Why Is My Social Media Account Shadowbanned?

You may not agree with the social platform’s policy of shadowbanning, but they are very much in place. If you don’t follow set rules, your content will be ghosted. 

But what are the reasons for social media platforms to hide your account?

Let’s go over the most likely reasons for a shadowban: 

• Your account is recognized and labeled as fraudulent
• “Fact-checkers” reported that your account violated community rules and policy
• You’re using banned hashtags in your post  
• You use an automation tool to grow your account followers
• You’re too quick in engaging, commenting, posting, and following people. 

We’ll go deeper into these causes on each social media platform in the next section below.

Social Media Platforms That Shadowban

Let’s go through the top platforms in detail to review their policies. 

Instagram Shadowban

Instagram is an ideal platform to promote a brand. It can help you create a community of like-minded people, connect with followers through shared values, and gather audiences feedback. 

Launched in 2010, Instagram was later acquired by Facebook in 2012. 

As of 2021, there are about 1.074 billion Instagram users worldwide, and that vast figure means that many of them will surely hear your voice and see your passion through your content.  

But despite the privileges of using Instagram, other circumstances might come across and are unlooked for, such as shadowbanning. 

Though in 2018, Instagram publicly denied the practice of shadowbanning as part of their algorithm. But a post on February 28, 2021, indicated that they indirectly address their practice of hiding content from their users’ significance.

Is My Instagram Shadowbanned?

Keep in mind that shadowbanned Instagram accounts will bear no warning or notification. So you’ll be unaware that your account is shadowbanned, no matter if you’re using Instagram on mobile or desktop.

If you suspect that your account has been shadowbanned, there are several ways to verify that’s the case.

• Check Your Hashtags 

Step 1: Go to one of your Instagram posts and pull up the last 10-20 hashtags you used there.

Step 2: Ask another person to search for the hashtags you’ve used in your posts from their account and see whether your profile appears in the search results. Another option is to create a test account and search for yourself. Make sure their accounts are not following you on Instagram.

Step 3: Inspect the results that show up in their search. Does your post show up in the hashtag search results? If you were listed previously in the discovery section but not anymore now, you might be shadowbanned.

Keep in mind that the hashtag itself may be banned. If you search for a particular hashtag and you get no results or a message that violates community guidelines, you should avoid using them in your content. 

• Check Your Instagram Insights

Instagram business accounts come with analytics features that you can use to not only find out how well your content is performing, but also if you’ve been shadowbanned. 

If you notice sudden drops in engagement, and you’ve noticed your content doesn’t appear in the hashtag’s search, there’s a great chance your profile is shadowbanned. 

How to Check Your Instagram Profile for Shadowban Signs

Step 1: Go to your Instagram business account and click on the Insights tab. 

Step 2: If your data shows a dramatic drop in engagement and account reach, it may indicate that your content is hidden from the platform. 

Take, for example, the Instagram account @katerinandyinon of a duo of bloggers, who noticed a drastic decrease in reach. The influencers went from having an audience reach of 70,000 (32% of which not following them) to 40,000 audience reach (with only 4% not following them) 

• Use An Instagram Shadowban Test Tool

Triberr has a tool that can analyze whether your account is shadowbanned on Instagram. It’s also helpful in determining hashtags you used that may cause your account to experience a shadowban.

When you use third-party applications, however, you should be cautious, and first, check if they are approved by Instagram. Another reason for the platform to shadowban your content is using applications that the network hasn’t approved.

An Instagram blog post shows how you can remove applications that might be the cause of a shadowban. 

How Long Does The Instagram Shadowban Last?

Typically, Instagram shadowbans last for two weeks or 14 days, but they can also last much longer as well. The time of a shadowban is directly related to the violation of community guidelines your account has perpetrated.

What Causes Shadowbanning On Instagram?

1. Using Automated Tools To Grow Your Instagram Account

There are a lot of automated tools you can use to grow your Instagram accounts. But be aware that Instagram can shadowban you for these practices as they violate their terms of service. 

Go through IG guidelines to ensure your automated tools are recognized as legitimate by Instagram.

2. Using Banned And Restricted Instagram Hashtags

Restricted hashtags will cause your content to be shadowbanned, so avoid using any of them. Check out the extensive list of banned hashtags here.

3. Using Content That Violates Content Guidelines

Instagram will ban any account or content that has been flagged as abusive or irrelevant by its audience. When you plan and post on Instagram, ensure that none of your content can be reported as:

• Spam
• Nudity or sexual activity
• Hate speech or symbols
• Racist language or activity
• Violence or dangerous organizations
• Bullying or harassment
• Selling illegal or regulated goods
• Intellectual property violations
• Suicide or self-injury

4. Using Forbidden Growth Strategies Like Buying Likes, Views, Shares, And Followers

Purchasing followers is a surefire way to get your account not only shadowbanned but also completely disabled and suspended not just from Instagram but from other social platforms too. 

Services that offer to grow your Instagram account using automated tools usually simulate user activity and interaction. They either deploy bots to follow users, like, and comment on posts in an attempt to convince them to follow you back or offer to sell an artificial following. 

All these activities violate Instagram’s terms of service and put you at risk of being shadowbanned. 

Not to mention, since most of your new followers will be bots and inactive Instagram users, all of your organic metrics – such as users reached, impressions, engagement, comments, bookmarks, and so on — will suffer.

5. Using Misleading/False Information

Instagram clearly indicates its commitment to reducing the spread of misinformation among users and uses a combination of algorithms and user feedback from the community (fact-checkers) to moderate and classify content.  

Third-party checkers manually review suspicious accounts’ content in over 60 languages to warn users they may be viewing sensitive content or content deemed untrustworthy. 

To avoid being shadowbanned by  “fact-checkers” on the platform avoid: 

• Inaccurate and unauthentic photos;
• Skeptical or sensational headlines;
• Unverified sources;
• Unusual formatting;
• Incorrect dates;
• Lack of evidence;
• Content that’s intended as harmful jokes;
• Intentionally false content;
• Political posts;

How To Fix A Shadowbanned Instagram Account?

Since Instagram provides no explanation for why an account may be shadowbanned, we must speculate and reverse-engineer the removal of such a penalty. The first step is to check the platform’s terms of service, regulations and/or general guidelines, and best practices to ensure your content is compliant with set policies.

If there’s no evidence that any violation has occurred, and you strongly suspect your Instagram account has been shadowbanned, below are a few possible ways to fix it. 

• Check Third-Party Apps That Granted Access To Your Instagram Account

You may be using different tools to manage your social media platforms. Check if they’re approved for access to your Instagram account and remove them if they’re not.

• Remove the Banned Hashtags You’ve Used

Review all your posts and ensure you’re not using flagged topics and shadowbanned hashtags.

• Switch From Business Account To Personal Account

Business and creative accounts are usually used for marketing purposes, so switching to a personal account might help you get your content back online. While it’s not a bullet-proof method of recovering from a shadowban, users of the platform claim it has helped. 

• Take A Break From Using Instagram For A Few Days

Take a break from posting and use the time of not posting to re-evaluate your social media strategy. Look at competitors, the market’s best practices, and influencers working in your niche to gather inspiration and freshen up your social feeds. You may end up coming up with a  more sustainable and guideline-compliant strategy for your marketing efforts on Instagram and other platforms. 

• Report Your Problem To Instagram Support

If you’ve tried all the above-recommended ways of fixing your shadowbanned Instagram account but with no success, try contacting Instagram support services. There are no better people than Instagram employees to give you advice on how to fix an issue with their platform. 

Here are the steps to report a problem:

Step 1: Open Instagram through the app or browser, then log in to your Instagram account.

Step 2: Go to “Your profile.”

Step 3: Click on the “Settings” icon

Step 4: Select and click “Report a Problem.”

Step 5: Then, write your problem on the box and hit “Send report.”

Mia Khalifa, An Internet Star, Revealed How And Why Instagram Shadowbanned Her

Mia Khalifa, an Internet star, recently exposed an inside presentation given to only Instagram workers at the company’s headquarters. 

As a result, Instagram has not only confirmed the existence of the IG shadowban, but they’re also actively pursuing accounts that they believe deserve a shadowban the entire account.

In a YouTube interview, Khalifa mentions that her Instagram account does have her revealing and sexy photos, which served as an example to be shadowbanned. But she’s wondering why other accounts with similar content haven’t been shadowbanned. 

Jay, A Mid-Sized Blogger, Lost Sponsors Because Of An Instagram Shadowban

Mid-sized bloggers and influencers can also lose a lot of money if they’re shadowbanned. For instance, Jayden Croft, a Seattle-based photographer, and entrepreneur had his account shadowbanned, which in turn impacted his brand partnerships.

“Before the shadowban, my post engagement was sky-high, and brands were reaching out to me to promote their products and services,” Croft said. “Since the shadowban, I’ve seen a major decrease in engagement, and my Instagram revenue is declining as a direct result.”

Croft’s posts are more about the beauty of nature, but some of his photos contain people in what Instagram apparently considers as provocative attire, which most likely causes the shadowban on his account.

Tip: Hundreds of growing businesses use Socialfix to leverage successful social media marketing strategies and showcase their products and services. Try us for a free consultation 

Twitter Shadowban 

If microblogging is your thing, Twitter is for you. Twitter allows you to tweet posts within the 140-character limit. In your post, you can include relevant media and website link sources. 

Music, entertainment, aviation, and leisure are the top 3 most popular industries on this social network. 

Justin Bieber 

Katy Perry, 

and Rihanna, completely dominate the platform with a total of over 325 million Twitter followers. 

Sports sensations like soccer player Ronaldo have also gained a massive following on Twitter, with the start gaining over 94 million fans. 

Oprah Winfrey, the TV host legend and producer, has accumulated over 42 million followers. 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA is the most influential in the aviation sector with the following count of over 48 million people. 

Aviation brands like JetBlue and Qatar Airlines compete closely in popularity on the platform with each gathering 1.8 million and 1.7 million followers, respectively. 

As it turns out, Twitter can be quite the right fit for politics and news, as President Barack Obama is currently the most popular profile on the platform with 130 million followers. 

News giants- BBC International and CNN International collectively gather over 45 million followers. 

Twitter was launched in July 2006, and by the first quarter of 2019, there were more than 330 million active users. 

Twitter can help you convey your business values and objective in a very quick and effective way. It’s a social platform that requires precise messaging, a clear and concise presentation, and a well-formulated content strategy that is straightforward. 

But if your Twitter account is shadowbanned, your efforts are all in vain. So to help you run a successful content strategy, here’s how to determine if you’ve been shadowbanned on Twitter. 

Is Your Twitter Account Shadowbanned? 

One method to verify whether your Twitter account has been shadowbanned is by using a Twitter tester.

 Automated Twitter Tester

Although Twitter claimed in 2018 that they don’t shadowban accounts, they reserve the right to limit their visibility or distribution of content. On January 1, 2020, Twitter’s updated Terms of Service stated that they “… may also remove or refuse to distribute any Content on the Service, limit distribution or visibility of any Content on the service.”

Manual Twitter Testing

You can also manually check your shadowbanned Twitter by following the steps provided.

Step 1: Open an incognito browser

Step 2: On the Incognito browser, type www.twitter.com/explore

Step 3: In the Twitter Search box, type in “fromusername.” Change username with your Twitter username.

If you can see that your Twitter posts show up in the feed, it means you’re good to go. Otherwise, it could mean you’ve been shadowbanned.

Here are the typical causes for а shadowban on Twitter:

• Your account hasn’t been active for more than a year;
• Your account has fewer than 500 followers;
• You haven’t updated your email address associated with your Twitter account;
• You’ve been following a suspected spam account or tweeting back their content;
• Other Twitter users have silenced you;
• You’ve been reported as a suspicious/spam account;
• Other Twitter users have blocked you;
• You don’t have a picture profile;
• You’ve followed too many Twitter accounts in a very short period;
• You’re posting too frequently in a short period of time;
• You’ve repeatedly plagiarized tweets from other users, which includes images and other creative assets;
• You’ve continually been interacting with accounts that don’t follow you;

Different Kinds Of Twitter Shadowban 

1. No Search Suggestion Ban

This kind of ban won’t populate your search box with suggestions when searching through your account.

2. No Search Ban

The “no search” ban can cause your tweets to be completely invisible from search results. Under it, you won’t even be able to search for hashtags you used in your posts. The good news here is that if your account is relatively active this type of ban is only temporary.

3. No Ghost Ban

Also called controversial shadowbanning, this restriction includes a search prohibition and hidden replies to tweets. If your account is affected by it, you won’t be able to see your replies to other people’s tweets.

4. Reply Barrier Ban 

The “no-reply” ban happens when your account is flagged by Twitter as offensive or disruptive. In that case, all your tweet replies are hidden. 

How Long Does Shadowban On Twitter Last?

A Twitter shadowban can last an average of two to three days. Once you get back online,  you should avoid engaging in posting behavior that will get you shadowban again. Consider taking a break from tweeting to plan new strategies for posting that will benefit your posting quality and help you stay away from controversial tweets that will get you shadowbanned again. 

How To Avoid A Shadowban On Twitter?

To ensure you’ve done everything in your power to protect against a shadowban, follow the platform’s community and content guidelines. Further, keep all your accounts information up to date

• Verify your Twitter email address;
• Fill in all required sections (adding photos, information, etc);
• Don’t spam users with irrelevant information;
• Avoid commenting on controversial and dividing topics; 

Twitter Posts From Twitter Users Who Experience Shadowbanning

Controversial Fake Twitter Followers Of Former President Donald Trump

Former US President Donald Trump was reported to have an “unexpected” rise in followers, according to Newsweek in May 2017. 

The publication suggested that Trump’s followers were “fake”, prompting an investigation and questions on the legitimacy of his followers on Twitter.

Although President Obama was the first Head of State to use social media heavily during his campaigns, President Donald Trump’s active presence on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, helped him throughout his 2016 US presidential campaign. He considered this strategy as “Modern Day Presidential.” 

Despite the allegations of the fake following on Twitter, President Trump’s popularity increased over time and he gained over 110 million followers across all his social media platforms. 

Trump used the platforms to directly communicate with his followers without mainstream media filters, traditionally utilized, be previous presidents. It was an unconventional way to hear and receive news directly from the Commander in Chief of the United States, and it paid off in his presidential campaign. 

So, why was Trump shadowbanned on Twitter? 

Former President Trump’s Twitter account was banned in January this year, after the criminal events at the U.S Capitol on January 6th.

In the light of those events, Trump’s tweets were assessed and determined to glorify violence, so his account was first banned for 11 minutes and later deactivated indefinitely. 

According to Twitter, the measure was as drastic because PresidentTrump’s content posed risks of further incitement to violence, so the platform couldn’t allow the account to continue existing.

The former president’s silencing on the platform opened questions on whether social media should censor users, and if Twitter was as strict with other users engaging in similar behavior. 

Chrissy Teigen’s Controversial Twitter History

While Twitter seems to be cracking down on profiles they deem to be violating community guidelines and inciting violence, they weren’t so diligent with other accounts that have demonstrated the same behavior in the past. 

Recent scandals around Chrissy Teigen’s tweets harassing Courtney Stodden, and going as far as to suggest they should take their life, are resurfacing and raising the question of whether Twitter is allowed to censor certain profiles and others not. 

Twitter Bands on Politically Involved Accounts

SDAgainstFash- a self-proclaimed anti-fascist organization from the Kumeyaay Land (San Diego) was another account that Twitter shadowbanned in light of its involvement in the events at the Capitol in January this year. 

The SDAgainstFash account is predominantly discussing topics that are highly politicized and could easily be misconstrued, which Twitter is trying to avoid at all costs at the moment.  

Facebook Shadowban

Facebook reaches up to 1.3 billion more monthly users. It’s an immensely beneficial platform that can help you easily raise brand awareness, share information for your business, talk to customers and learn what they want, generate traffic to your website, provide high-class customer service, and all that at a very affordable price. 

Businesses in the sports, lifestyle and food industries benefit tremendously from the exposure Facebook gives them, with brands like GoPro, Nike, and Tasty reaching over 152 million followers on the social network.

What Causes Shadowban On Facebook? 

If your account posts content that violates Facebook’s community standards, there’s a possibility that you may be shadowbanned. If you suspect a Facebook shadowban, you can check using some of the following in your content:

• Banned Hashtags: Similar to other social platforms, Facebook has also banned certain hashtags. Health-related topics are very carefully monitored and any hashtags that don’t align with community guidelines get banned. Most recently, Facebook took issue with the hashtag #VaccinesKill and banned it for spreading misinformation; 
• Undesirable Content: An example of undesirable content is misleading information. Facebook groups that are more likely to share misleading content or links are likely experiencing shadowbanning more often than other groups;
• Violence: The spread of information around any kind of violence (physical, psychological) will get banned on Facebook
• Sexually Suggestive Content: Provocative and sexually suggestive content- including images that focus on body parts, even if it’s not explicitly sexual, might be considered inappropriate by the social media giant and shadowbanned   

How To Avoid Facebook Shadowban

Carefully analyzing content guidelines, looking at what your competitors are doing, and which are the best posting practices for your business niches, are an essential part of a successful social media strategy. In addition, to ensure you’ve done everything possible to avoid shadowbans, there are a few more things to have in mind when you plan and post on Facebook: 

1. Don’t Use Banned Hashtags 

Do the research and find out all relevant topics, problematic hashtags, and mistakes done by other companies that have caused shadowbans on Facebook. Make sure you steer away from any hashtags that have been banned.

2. Share Only Valuable Content 

Avoid topics that your business has nothing to do with and be extra cautious with subjects that you have no knowledge of. The last thing you want to do on Facebook is share misleading or false information.

On top, your followers are interested in how your brand can be useful to them and how relevant information you share, not speculation and fake news.

3. Don’t Post Anything That Contains Violence

Needless to say, violence in any form is not to be tolerated anywhere, least of all in your brand’s social media presence.

4. Avoid Posting Material with Sexual Connotations

Content that flies too close to being sexual in any way is not well-tolerated by social media platforms. You’re best to avoid anything that you’re not sure is appropriate or not. 

How to Fix Facebook Shadowban

If you’ve taken the time to analyze your Facebook profile and exclude any other possibility for your content to be missing in feeds and hashtag searches, you’re probably shadowbanned. 

In that case, there are several steps you can take to fix the issue, starting with.

1. Contacting Facebook Help Center 

There’s no one better at helping you resolve any issues you may have on the platform than the team at the Facebook Help Center.

2. Appeal The Restrictions Under Which You’ve Been Shadowbanned;

If you’re struggling with finding the reasoning behind your shadowban, you can request an explanation for it from the customer service team. If they’re unable to provide legitimate information on why your content has been, you can request it to be restored. 

3. Don’t Post for A While

As with other social media networks, taking a break from posting can be beneficial both for the quality of your content and in avoiding shadowbans. Re-evaluating what your content strategy on the platform is, what other successful brands are doing well, and what they’re failing with can crystallize a better strategy and content ideas for your Facebook presence.

How Long Does Facebook Shadowban Last?

There are no indications of how long a specific shadowban can last, but depending on the degree of violation, most Facebook shadowbans last between 24 hours and 30 days, as reported by Wallstreet Journal. 

A whole month can be extremely detrimental to your business objectives, so it’s best that your social media marketers strictly follow guidelines and avoid any type of content that might flag your account as worthy of a shadowban. 

Facebook Groups Shadowban

How to Tell If You’ve Been Shadowbanned on Facebook Groups?

Facebook groups are usually created with very clear and strict rules on the type of content allowed to be shared. The same is valid for the tone of conversation and rules for communicating with other group members. 

Facebook has allowed group administrators and moderators to have control over what gets shared, and what can be shadowbanned from the group. Problematic content like hate speech, profanity, and other offensive content are the first things to get banned. Administrators can shadowban specific users who exhibit such behavior or in other ways break the group’s rules. 

How to Get Unbanned from a Facebook Group? 

As  Facebook groups are created and controlled by their administrators, getting unbanned can be a tricky thing. If you haven’t engaged in any activity that violates the group’s rules, however, it’s worth the shot. 

First of all, If you’ve purposefully been posting content that is not allowed or considered spammy you should stop. 

Then, your best chance to get unbanned is to get in touch with the administrators of the group and ask to be unbanned from the group. From there, you have to wait for a reply, and eventual lift of your ban. 

LinkedIn Shadowban

LinkedIn is best known as the go-to professional networking platform. It focuses on users’ professional careers, jobs, and work-related news. 

Promoting your business on LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to reach hyper-focused audiences like target clients, business partners, and potential employees. To get shadowbanned on the platform often means experiencing significant financial consequences. 

But is shadowbanning something that LinkedIn practices? 

Does LinkedIn Have Shadowbans?

Yes, it does! LinkedIn accounts that don’t follow the platform’s content and marketing policies and terms of service are regularly shadowbanned. 

Unlike other social media giants, however, LinkedIn’s shadowbanning is much more gentle as it’s intended to warn its users. 

Why Am I Shadowbanned On LinkedIn?

There are a few reasons your account can get shadowbanned on LinkedIn, and at the top of the list are:

• Sending Countless Spam InMail Messages;

• Utilizing Irrelevant & Prohibited Hashtags;

• Posting Content Using Bots or Other Automated Applications;

How To Avoid LinkedIn Shadowbanning?

If you’re suspecting you’ve been shadowbanned on LinkedIn, there are a few things you can do to remedy the situation:

1. Stop Using An Automated Bot To Post Content

Everything you post on LinkedIn (or any other platform for that matter) is geotagged and visible through your back-end IP address (which discloses your physical location). 

When you use an automated bot to post your content or engage with other users, the tool also discloses its IP address (unless you use a proxy). 

Suppose you accessed your LinkedIn account through your mobile app and simultaneously, the automation bot logged in using your credentials and performed some automated activity on your behalf. 

In this case, LinkedIn will detect another IP address being used to access your account and can potentially flag your activity and penalize you with a shadowban. 

2. Stop Buying LinkedIn Followers

Buying LinkedIn followers will only diminish a profile’s engagement rate and create a false sense of popularity. Instead, focus on building authentic connections with people interested in the content you produce. 

Yes, it does take a lot of time to create compelling, helpful, and relevant content, but it’s a much better way to build your following in the long term.

3. Beware Of The Hashtags You Use

Make sure you use relevant hashtags that align with your content. You may believe your content can reach a larger audience with more generic hashtags, but it’s best to use hashtags that are directly relevant to your content. 

The most popular hashtags on the platform are #innovation (38 million followers), #management (36 million followers), #digitalmarketing (26 million followers).

Those a relatively broad terms, that can fit the purposes of almost all industries, and brands that emphasize novelty, and take advantage of the latest digital marketing trends to manage a business.

When using hashtags on LinkedIn you should stick to the recommended by the platform 3 to 4 hashtags per post, where one of them should be reserved for the location of your business. Investigating how your direct competitors and industry leaders strategize hashtags on LinkedIn will also give you ideas on how to plan and execute your own use of hashtags and avoid being shadowbanned. 

Shay, A LinkedIn Video Coach, Shares Her Experience With How She Found Out That She Is Shadowbanned

Shay Rowbottom a LinkedIn influencer and digital marketer recently shared a story about how the platform took down a video she posted, stating it violated community standards. 

The video touched on the controversial subject of feminism in modern days and how Rowbottom felt about it personally. As the influencer described the modern feminist movement as problematic and toxic in the caption of the said video, the LinkedIn safety standards team got alarmed and removed the video from her feed. 

After some back and forth with LinkedIn, the influencer managed to get her video reinstated back on the platform, showing that even banned, the platform is open to re-evaluating cases that might affect your engagement with your audience.

YouTube Shadowban

YouTube, is the most popular video-sharing social media platform on the planet, with an astounding 34.6 billion visitors each month. It’s also the second largest search engine with 3 billion searches per month. 

The numbers make it the ideal social media network to help raise awareness of your brand, reach new customers and boost sales conversions. It’s an irreplaceable tool to educate viewers and build relationships based on trust and shared values. 

These factors make a potential shadowban on the platform that much worse. 

Let’s review how to determine if and why you’ve been shadowbanned on YouTube.

Why Does YouTube Shadowban? 

YouTube has consistently changed its algorithm to provide viewers with more accurate content and a secure environment. As a result, your YouTube account can get shadowbanned for violating YouTube Community Rules.

If your content spreads misinformation, is used to harass, bully or harm in any way people, it will be shadowbanned by YouTube. The same goes for sensitive content like a child’s safety, nudity, and sexual content, or self-harm. 

The use of bots for fake engagement and spam content distribution is yet another sure way to get your content banned by the platform. 

Here are some of the prominent users who got shadowbanned on their Youtube channel:

PewDiePie Videos Not Accessible Because of Shadowbanning

In 2020, YouTube received numerous comments from individuals following the PewDiePie channel, saying that his latest videos were not showing up in the search result. They also complained his entire channel was unavailable.  

Felix Kjellberg, as is his actual name, is one of YouTube’s top influencers, amassing over 100 million subscribers, so it came as no surprise that his videos were suddenly gone. 

The issue was dubbed shadowbanning and attracted great attention to YouTube’s policies on restricting its leading creators’ content. 

When, later, YouTube representatives commented on Twitter that the platform doesn’t ban any channels. They stated that PewDiePie’s latest videos were missing because they were flagged by the systems for potential violation of community rules. Since flagged content is reviewed by support teams before being released his videos were not appearing in search results at first. 

Promptly after the followers’ outcry, the Youtuber’s videos were back live and available for watching with no further comment from neither YouTube nor PewDiePie himself.

Goldmine Video on “YouTube Shadowbanned Me”

Another YouTube user called GoldMine, posted a YouTube video in 2020, talking about his experience with the platform shadowbanning his content. 

The channel- primarily creating content around computer games, unboxing videos, and project flipping, was labeled a mature channel and became unavailable for anyone below 18 years old. 

The creator explains in the video that after his channel was deemed undesirable content, his videos were demonetized, became less discoverable, and at times completely disappeared from his channel. 

As the YouTuber explains, the reasons for his shadowban are unclear. His content, however, is still unfavored by the platform and results in his inability to grow a following. As the Goldmine channel still struggles to prove its advertising value to potential sponsors, losing revenue and growth.

How To Determine If Your YouTube Channel Is Shadowbanned?

To determine if your YouTube channel has been banned, start by searching for the keywords or hashtags you’ve used in your videos.  

If your content doesn’t come up in the results when you search for them through logged-in your profile, try searching for them through the profile of other users. You can create a test profile to use later as well. 

If the content you suspect doesn’t show up when searched for from your test account, it’s likely been shadowbanned. 

Once you’ve established that your videos are banned, move to figure out why your content has been flagged and try to get your channel back online. 

5 Ways To Fix Your YouTube Shadowban

1. Report to YouTube Support 

Go to Google Support through this link, and contact the YouTube Help support – located at the three-bar on the top right of the screen.

To submit the description of your problem, click on “Submit Feedback” and then click on the “General Help Center Experience” menu.

Once you’re directed to the “Submit Feedback” submenu, you will be requested to fill in a form detailing the issue you’re having. Here is where you should describe the problem you’re having and provide evidence like screenshots, if available.

2. Follow YouTube Community Guidelines

Make sure you check out the newest YouTube Guidelines as they are constantly being updated for the benefit of content creators. Implemented guidelines include avoiding content that’s damaging, harmful, copyright, and many more.

3. Create Only Valuable and Relevant Content

To be successful on YouTube, your content has to provide value to its viewers. When thinking of your strategy, consider who your audience is and what they find interesting, educational, or worth sharing with others. 

Do people relate to your content, find it funny? What is the difference between you and other creators? Are your videos interactive, conversational, and unique? Ask your audience what they think about your content and what they think you should create next.   

4. Consistently Upload Content

When it comes to the frequency of posting on YouTube there is no clear formula of how often you should upload your content- that will depend on the types of topics you discuss, the length of your content, and the time it takes you to research and produce your videos. 

However, you should have a clear schedule on when you will be uploading your content, stay consistent with it, and share your posting times with your audience in advance.

If you can commit to posting videos once a week, do that and let your viewers when to expect more content from you. This way you will be able to create anticipation for what’s next and entice your audience to come back to your channel week, after week. 

Posting in a consistent manner that attracts viewership will also help lift any shadowbans on your older videos.

5. Increase Your Content Promotion

What will give your YouTube videos a better chance of reaching your target audience and gaining a following is cross-promotion. Use your social media profiles to encourage users to visit your YouTube channel.

You can, for example, create a story on Instagram with the intro of your YouTube videos, upload the main talking points in a post, share a sneak-peek of a video you’re about to upload on YouTube, or anything else that might create curiosity and nudge your social media audience enough to make them go watch your videos. 

Your website is also a great place to promote YouTube content by repurposing video topics into blog posts and linking them to your channel. Take advantage of the content you’ve already created by repurposing it on your different social media platforms. The more people see you in their feeds, the more likely they are to engage with what you have to say. 

TikTok Shadowban

TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms with over 100 million active users. It’s intended for short video-sharing, enabling users to upload a video of up to 15 seconds.  In addition, there’s a plethora of dialogue and music capabilities that allows you to create entertaining videos.

The platform was developed by the Chinese company ByteDance and launched internationally in 2017 as a social platform meant to encourage its users to create, share and discover short videos. It’s primarily used by younger people aged 16 to 24 years old. In fact, about 60% of its users fall in that age category. 

Currently being the 7th most popular social media platform TikTok holds great influence over how young people pass their time. 

For businesses, TikTok provides great growth opportunities some people intentionally create. One of the most beneficial features that the platform offer brands, is the ability to share custom and lookalike audience between different ad accounts. In practice, that means that marketers have better control over who they reach, by creating different ads for the specific pre-set target audience groups.  

For that reason, a shadowban on the social network could significantly impact your audience reach and set up your social marketing campaigns for failure. 

TikTok Data Privacy Issues

Along with concerns about content being rendered invisible to users, back in 2020, there were some concerns about personal data. Representatives of the US government, including the then Secretary of State Mark Pompeo, claimed that the platform could pose risks to national security. 

The platform was accused of stealing the personal information of American citizens and providing it to the Chinese government. While TikTok has vigorously denied the claims, an executive order by President Donald Trump, banned the app from being downloaded from American app stores, and prohibited American businesses to do business with the ByteDance,  effective September 2020. 

Another controversy related to TikTok from 2020, was the ban India imposed on the social giant after violent border clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers. That ban still significantly impacts the usage of the network and accounts for the 38% drop in first-time installs in the first half of 2021. 

With the ban issued by the US government currently lifted, users and companies are free to advertise and promote their content and brand on TikTok. However, when users do not obey by the community rules of the platform they still face the threat of being shadowbanned. 

Here’s what you need to look out for. 

Why Am I Shadowbanned On TikTok? 

Spam Behavior

A common strategy among business profiles on social media is to follow as many users as possible in hopes they will follow them back. 

This tactic, however, rarely succeeds and in the case of TikTok, it might even qualify you for a ban. 

The platform’s algorithms take the sudden rise in following as spamming or robot activity and limit the visibility of such profiles altogether. 

To avoid falling victim to TikToks’algothims you should evaluate your strategy of a massive following of users on a daily basis.

Inappropriate Content

Posting content that violates the TikTok community guidelines will most likely result in shadowbanning or being permanently banned from using TikTok. Per TikTok guidelines, inappropriate content includes drugs, nudity, violence, provoking hate speech, spreading fake news, and using copyrighted music.

How To Overcome A Shadowbanned TikTok Account?

Here are some tactics you can try if you’re shadowbanned on TikTok;

1. Uninstall And Reinstall The App

Remove your new videos. If this doesn’t work, you may try uninstalling and reinstalling the TikTok application. Perhaps your app needs an update. You may repost your videos after reinstallation.

2. Switch To a Pro Account

Since shadowbanning is not an official issue with clear indications when it happens, there’s a possibility that your account is not shadowbanned after all. Your drop in engagement might simply be due to low interest from your target audience. 

What you can do in this case is switch to a pro account, if you’re not currently using it and start carefully monitoring how your content is performing through the analytics options of the platform. Come up with a new content strategy and see if there are any changes in your viewership. The issue might be easily reparable, once you get more data. 

3. Follow The Community Guidelines

Continuously producing videos that violate or don’t abide by the community guidelines will make your account more likely to be shadowbanned or permanently banned.

Posts that incite violence, terrorism, organized hate get immediately taken off the platform,  and profiles associated with them permanently banned. The same goes for content that depicts illegal activities, self-violence, dangerous acts, nudity, and sexual activities. Harassment and bullying, and endangering minors are also not tolerated. 

4. Avoid Spam Behavior On TikTok

An example of this is following too many accounts in a very short time.

How Long Does TikTok Shadowban Your Account?

TikTok shadowbans usually last for 14 days. However, some users have argued that their TikTok accounts had remained shadowbanned for months, indicating that TikTok has a preliminary duration of the said shadowban.

Tik Tokers Complain About Shadowban

Around 300 million video clips were banned by TikTok, which has led to a substantial decrease in viewership, or worse, removal of the video content. 

Multiple users have complained that their content is unavailable for users, with hashtags like #shadowbanned and #unshadowbanme used in over 6 billion videos to spread information on the existence of the bans on the platform. 

Plus there are tons of YouTube tutorials, Quora forums, and entire websites with tips and tricks for people hoping to get rid of TikTok shadowbans further confirming the struggles users face when trying to understand why and how to fix a ban. 

Abbie Richards Shadowbanned on TikTok 

Take, for example, Abbie Richards an American environmentalist and comedian who went viral on TikTok and Twitter in 2020 for her videos debunking conspiracy theories and anti- golf campaigns. Her popularity grew tremendously with some of her videos reaching over 6 million views. 

She was suspecting she was shadowbanned on TikTok, after noticing her viewership dropped significantly. After several months of her videos gathering around 100 000 views all of a sudden, the views dropped to 4000-9000.

What’s more, her account analytics clearly showed her traffic from the For You page has evaporated. So she decided to conduct research to gather data proving she was actually shadowbanned. To do that she continued to post regularly to gather enough data showing a pattern of when her videos got shadowbanned. 

Ever since her investigation Abby stopped posting in the profile that she believed was shadowbanned and created a new one that gathered even more attention and followers- over 319K. Her topics, however, remain the same with her videos on disinformation and researches around extremism gaining as much as 2,4 million views. 

Reddit Shadowban

Reddit- the social news platform known as “the front page to the Internet,” was founded in 2005 by Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian and it’s a social news aggregation, discussion, and content rating website. 

Daily, the platform has over 52 million active users and according to Alexa, it’s one of the top 7 most popular sites in the US and 19th  most visited globally. 

Registered users on Reddit are called Redditors, and they can post content and comment on any content made by other Redditors. In addition, there are millions of communities or forums known as “subreddits.” Different subreddits have different topics of discussion.

Reddit is often used by marketers to gain knowledge on topics related to industries they’re trying to advertise in and understand what audiences are interested in. So if your goal is to thrive in interacting and gaining feedback for your products or services, Reddit is the right place. 

Reddit like most social networks has its community guidelines that outline what is considered inappropriate or prohibited. Not following those guidelines will result in a ban of your profile.

3 Types Of Reddit Bans 

1. Subreddit Ban 

Each subreddit has its own group of moderators. If you violate the rules outlined in the subreddit, you will get a private message stating its efficacy and the rationale for the action taken by the moderators. They can even temporarily or permanently ban you from participating in that particular subreddit.

2. Subreddit AutoModerator Ban

Unlike the manual ban by the subreddit moderators, the AutoModerator is a bot. It usually prohibits you from posting articles or comments, especially if your Reddit account is still new, if you’re not active enough to participate in the discussions, or if your post has specific keywords that are banned in the subreddit by default.

3. Shadowban

This is the kind of prohibition that hides your postings or comments on Reddit. It’s often perplexing since you may think that your content is accessible to others when it’s not.

What Causes Reddit Bans?

• Overposting Links

Link submission is generally implied as suspicious to Reddit moderators, especially if you’re a new user. It’s therefore suggested to participate in posts by other users by commenting and upvoting there before posting your own, including links.

• Intentionally Spamming 

Spammers continually attempt to develop ways to keep posting on certain subreddits despite the rules.  But there are also people who intentionally create content that could be considered spammy. To avoid that you should stick to being relevant to the topic of the subreddit you’re participating in.

• Harassing Other Users Through Comments Or Submissions

In the year 2015, Reddit took a decisive role in anti-harassment. If you harass a user, you will potentially be permanently banned by the moderators from participating in that subreddit.

• You’re Posting Off-topic Comments And Submissions

While it won’t result in a shadowban or permanent ban, your content will be immediately removed for being irrelevant to the subreddit. So stick to the subject and only provide valuable information when participating in discussions.

3 Ways To Find Out If Your Reddit  Is Shadowbanned

1. Reddit Shadowban Tester Tool 

You can use a tool called Reddit Shadowban Tester to find out whether your Reddit account is shadowbanned.

2. Through Subreddit /R/Shadowban

/r/ShadowBan is a subreddit where users can make a text post and receive a near-quick reply from the subreddit’s bot,  /u/MarkdownShadowBot. It will even let you know which of your comments or posts were spam-filtered or removed manually.

3. By Using Incognito Mode

Sometimes you simply have to do it alone. For example, creating a post first, copying the URL, and accessing it into the browser incognito mode. It doesn’t imply you’re shadowbanned on Reddit, but it can be if you can’t see your post there.

How Long Does Reddit Shadowban Last?

A shadowban on Reddit usually lasts between 3 and 5 days, however, a ban can last much longer. Suspensions of account can even be permanent, so if you suspect you’ve been shadowbanned the best thing you can do is contact Reddit support, as soon, as possible, and find out why your content or profile is missing. This is the easiest and fastest way to get it back online.

How To Lift A Shadowbanned Reddit Account

The first thing to do is determine the degree of prohibition, whether it’s a subreddit or site-wide. If it was only on a particular subreddit, AutoModerator level or not, you can contact the moderators to acknowledge your error, apologize and pledge not to violate the rules again.

You may submit a message to any of the listed moderators directly. If you’re shadowbanned: try to log in, and if it doesn’t work, it’s best to establish a new account and abide by the rules for your future postings.

Warzone Shadowban

Warzone is a free, battle-royale video game released on March 10, 2020, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows that allows gamers to interact with one another while playing the game. It’s part of one of the most popular games Call of Duty that has taken the gaming world by storm. 

The immense popularity Warzone brings with itself the occasional users who try to exploit its weaknesses and cheat their way up the gaming ranks. 

For that reason, the platform’s creators have taken drastic measures to prevent people from any fraudulent activities by shadowbanning their profiles. 

While that works to deter people from cheating it’s sometimes affecting people who are simply enjoying the game.

What Does Shadowbanned on Warzone Mean?

According to the platform’s Anti-Cheat Program, the developers have zero tolerance for anyone who provides or uses third-party software for modding or hacking the game and anyone caught doing so will be shadowbanned. 

To understand how seriously the creators take protecting the game from cheaters you should not that currently, they’ve banned over 60,000 accounts with confirmed use of cheat software. 

The ban is not officially announced so it remains a tricky thing to identify when it has happened. What’s clear is that accounts that have been found to act suspiciously or directly use cheating software are grouped together and rendered invisible for other streamers. 

This strategy, however sometimes backfires and adds users who have not engaged in any prohibited activities.

How To Identify If You’re Shadowbanned On Warzone?

There are two possible ways to tell if you’re shadowbanned on Warzone:

1. High Ping – If you experience a ping that skyrockets to 300 to North, this might be a sign of shadowban.
2. Long Queue times – queue happens due to the small number of players, but the long time is also a hint of shadowban. 

How Long Does A Warzone Shadowban Last?

According to warzone players who experienced shadowbanning, it takes a week or two before the ban is lifted, and you can play again, per usual.

How To Fix A Warzone Shadowban?

You may try to fix a warzone shadowban by appealing through the Activision Ban Appeal System. You can dispute and defend yourself over what you did on the platform. But the decision to remove the ban on users is still in the hands of the administrators.

Ghost Aydan Experience with Warzone Shadowban

One prominent example of what can happen to someone who hasn’t done anything wrong while participating in Warzone is that of a streamer called Ghost Aydan. In early 2021, the games announced on Twitter, he’s been shadowbanned by Activision. 

It remains unclear what were the reasons for the shadowban on one of the most popular Warzone gamers, but it was made clear was that the platform had some issues determining which gamers violate the set rules and shadowbans on unsuspecting and innocent users are pretty much a reality. The ban often leaves users perplexed and forced to create new accounts in order to play again and continue creating content.

Twitch Shadowban

Twitch is a live video streaming platform that is centered around video game streaming, and broadcasting of live esports events. Besides the live streams, it offers music broadcasting and a place to develop and popularize creative content. 

The social network has great marketing potential as it targets super-focused audiences based on interests. What’s more, it allows for direct feedback from users and can help build a better advertising strategy. 

While it’s a relatively recent phenomenon on the platform, shadowbanning does exist on Twitch. 

When you’re banned on the platform your profile is not discoverable in the category you’re streaming in, and you can’t reach your audience. Banning can also happen when you link to external sources from clips, as users have reported. 

Another type of shadowban fans have said they’ve experienced on Twitch is not being allowed to send messages in the chat groups. Or more specifically that the platform is hiding their messages from chats when the users access the Twitch through VPN. 

When Twitch shadowbans you, the platform won’t inform you that your IP address and your viewers’ chat capability are restricted.

What Happens When You’re Shadowbanned On Twitch? 

There are several ways to find out if your Twitch account has been shadowbanned by the platform’s moderators. Here are a few signs:

• You won’t be able to share whispers.
• You won’t be able to purchase gift subs from other users.
• Twitch will filter out your messages on chats.
• Your viewers won’t be able to find you.

Reasons Why You’re Shadowbanned On Twitch

• Your IP Address Is Blocked As Part of the Ban

You cannot access the chat even if you establish a new account because it records your IP address when you sign up or log in to your account.

• You Engaged in Bad Behaviour

Toxicity and verbal abuse are widespread in the game environment, and therefore when you exhibit poor conduct, you will be more likely to get shadowbanned for the protection of others.

• You’re A VPN User

VPN is detrimental to Twitch’s aim as a game streaming platform. notdan, a Twitter user who recently said in his tweet that nearly every VPN service was shadowbanned by Twitch.

Jenna May Leave Twitch After Shadowbanning

Twitch streamer- Jenna, popular for her gaming channel, was one of the most popular shadowban examples of 2020. 

Controversies around discord chat logs revealing racist, sexist, and homophobic comments from back in 2016 resurfaced and caused an immense backlash from her audience. The scandal didn’t result in the suspension of her profile but ended up causing her to lose her partner status with Twitch. 

Jenna apologized on Twitter for the grief she caused her fans and continued to create content, promising to do her best to mend the relationship with her fans. 

In a later live stream with fans, however, the streamer suggested she might leave Twitch altogether after users shared they cannot find her channel when specifically searching for her on the platform. 

How To Fix Your Shadowbanned Twitch Account?

Twitch has introduced the so-called account enforcement and conversation bans. If you feel you’ve not violated the community rules on Twitch, you may submit an appeal, and you may make a channel-specific unban request if you’re banned from a specific channel.

How Long Will Twitch Shadowban Last?

There’s no mention of a specific Twitch Shadowban period. However, it does take 30 days or more to reinstate your Twitch account if it was suspended.

Tinder Shadowban

Tinder is an online dating and geosocial (enabled by your current location) networking application. Interested users register and start “swiping” to choose whom they would like to talk to. If you swipe right, you indicate you like the person on the other end of the phone, and if you swipe left, you’d prefer not to talk to them. 

Conversations on the platform can happen once both parties express interest by swiping right.

So you have to match first, in order to start exchanging messages. 

Shadowbans on Tinder usually happen when you get reported by multiple users and platform moderators confirm you’ve been violating community guidelines.

Signs Your Tinder Account Is Shadowbanned

Your account is probably shadowbanned if you have the following signs:

• You got fewer matches;
• None of your matches text you back;
• A warning is given for inappropriate action;
• The “likes you” feature is empty;
• You use the same phone number when deleting and recreating your account;

Why Was I Shadowbanned On Tinder? 

Tinder is not the usual social media platform used to promote the content of creators and businesses. It’s a platform that helps people build personal relationships and works with very sensitive personal information. 

A ban on Tinder, as stated by its owner – Match Group – is enforced to protect its community and deter ill-intended people from using the platform. 

Not following community guidelines, and getting reported by other users, will get you banned from the platform. Other activities, like swiping too much and messaging too many people are also advised against in order to avoid being mistaken for a bot and targeted for shadowban. 

Other community guidelines you should follow are not engaging in harassment, and hate speech, not posting sexual content and nudity,  not impersonating other people, not scamming or soliciting people into purchasing a product or service.

How To Fix a Tinder Shadowban

You can reset your Tinder account and see if the shadowban is removed. 

Below are some steps to try out:

1. Delete your existing Tinder account. Go to settings, find the “delete account” button, and press.
2. Uninstall Tinder.
3. Disconnect your existing Tinder account from your Facebook account, if necessary.
4. Sign up for a new email address (recommended to sign up for a Google account) and create a new Facebook account from the email you just created.
5. Link your new email address to your Google account.
6. Reinstall Tinder.
7. Reset your WiFi or any other Internet connection you use, if necessary.
8. Open the Tinder app, and create a new account.

You will need to utilize unused Facebook and Google accounts (i.e., the email you signed up for) while setting up your new account.

How Long Does a Tinder Shadowban Last?

The full shadowban is permanent in Tinder, and creating a new account is the only way to circumvent the ban. Having to create your profile all over again might not be the best solution to your problem but as far as your ability to continue using the platform is concerned, so far that is the best option you have.

Tinder Shadowban Complaints

Many new users claim their Tinder accounts were shadowbanned right after they had signed up, with no specific reason given.

Snapchat Shadowban

Snapchat – the social platform popular for its disappearing messages – is also no stranger to shadowbanning. While users’ content is temporarily visible, the platform still requires you to follow community rules and stay away from content that is considered inappropriate. 

What Happens When You Get Banned on Snapchat?

To get Snapchat to ban your content, you’ve most likely violated some of the community rules set by the platform. 

Bans on the platform fall under 3 categories: 

1. Terms of Service violation
2. Violence against other people or yourself
3. Illegal content or behavior

Violating any of the terms will get your profile locked for 24 hours, and if you continue to create or spread content that is prohibited you could be permanently banned from Snapchat. 

Once permanently banned you can no longer use the profile and will have to create a new one if you wish to continue using Snapchat. 

You are still encouraged, however,  to contact Snapchat’s support team if you feel you’ve been wrongfully banned and investigate if you can get your profile back online.

What Will Get You Shadowbanned on Snapchat? 

On Snapchat’s Community Guidelines page you can find a full list of activities and content that will get your profile temporarily or permanently shadowbanned. To avoid being restricted you should make it a priority to read and follow them. Here are a few of them to keep in mind.

1. Unauthorized Third-Party Apps Accessing Snapchat

Self-explanatory, using third-party apps that Snapchat doesn’t approve of significantly increases the likelihood of your profile being shadowbanned. 

While in many cases useful and convenient apps deemed unfit by Snapchat will create more trouble than benefits they bring short-term. So make sure to keep updated on which apps are a no-no for Snapchat and stay away. 

Snapchat Support keeps an updated list of unauthorized third-party apps on their page. A few that you should avoid are: 

• Phantom
• Sneakaboo
• SnapTools

2. Explicit Snaps or Messages

Sharing content that can be considered sexual is inappropriate and will result in a shadowban for you, and so will sharing pornographic content.

3. Using Snapchat for Illegal Activities

Snapchat bars users on the platform from using their profiles for any type of illegal activity. What’s more,  if you share content that promotes criminal activities or the use of prohibited goods you will be permanently banned.

4. Sending Spam

Snapchat will lock you out of the platform for spammy and unsolicited messages. Activities like adding too many friends too fast, and when you’re yet to verify your email address and phone number are also grounds for a shadowban.

5. Sharing Any Content That Can Get You Reported

Your Snapchat account or content might not be everyone’s cup of tea, so people might end up reporting you if they find your content offensive in any way. That can potentially trigger a shadowban on your account if enough people report you for the same reasons. 

That said you should know that reports from users don’t automatically set shadowbans in motion. Snapchat’s support team reviews reports and either confirms or denies wrongdoing. So if your content isn’t really violating any community guidelines you should be safe. 

Kik Shadowban

Kik is a Canadian instant messaging app, created in 2009 and currently used by over 2.5 million users daily. 

It’s a convenient and easy-to-use application that helps users connect with family and friends, and in addition, it lets you meet new people from around the world. 

Kik’s Meet New People option allows you to reach new people by randomly getting matched with others looking to chat with new people. 

As this feature gets you connected with a variety of people with little restriction, the platform has implemented a set of community rules, that attempt to keep the application free from bullying and inappropriate content. 

For example, the first requirement for users is to be at least 13 years old. Bullying and other forms of harassment are not allowed, and so is content with pornographic and other types of improper messaging. 

So anyone engaging and reported for engaging in this type of content gets banned from the platform. 

Shadowbanning is connected to activities that violate the community standards and happen if multiple users report you.

What Happens When You Get Shadowbanned on Kik? 

When you get continuously reported on the platform, Kik blocks your profile and analyzes if you’ve violated the rules or not.

Once the team in Kik determines whether your shadowban has been appropriate or not you can either get your profile activated again or get your account temporarily suspended.  

While banning usually is only for a while in severe cases, accounts that have been grossly violating community rules get permanently deactivated. 

It’s unclear how long the temporary suspension on accounts lasts, as different users report different times. But if your account has been banned for over a month you should contact customer service and learn more about the reasons for your ban and how to get your profile reinstated. 

OfferUp Shadowban 

Offer is a mobile marketplace for the C2C market. Its main focus is in-person transactions. Initially created to compete with Craiglist, that app is positioning itself as more mobile-friendly and based on a rationing system, which allows for better control self-regulation. Users can rate their experiences during transactions with other users and indicate if the seller can be trusted. 

OfferUp is currently the largest mobile marketplace in the U.S  with over 20 million monthly active users. 

Why Do You Get Shawobanned on OfferUp?

The number one reason to get banned on the platform is breaking the set community rules. 

Offerup administrators are quite clear with what is allowed and what happens if you break rules.

This way, for example, you can use only one account and throw-away email addresses. You’re also not allowed to impersonate others or use third-party websites to post on OfferUp. Duplicate offer posting is considered spammy and not allowed on the platform. Going against these set rules will result in a ban. 

How To Avoid Being Shadowbanneden On OfferUp?

To avoid getting banned, the first thing you should do is stick to the rules, and not try to find ways to outsmart the rules. Sooner or later you will get caught and get banned. 

Then you when you post your offerings you should be very clear with your title, description, and prices. You should also ensure you’ve indicated the location of your items. 

During your communication with potential buyers, you should avoid sharing personal information for your protection and keep a friendly tone of voice, as communication that’s considered harassment or bullying will also result in a shadowban. 

If you’ve followed the rules and haven’t done anything that is considered inappropriate but still get banned, you should get in touch with OfferUp customer service for assistance, they are your best option when it comes to lifting a shadowban on OfferUp. 

Hinge Shadowban

Hinge- the dating app that was built to encourage long-term connections between users, was founded in 2012 and quickly caught the attention of users looking to establish lasting relationships. 

According to statistics the application is growing exponentially reaching 6 million monthly active users at the end of last year. The app’s popularity was partially boosted by a former Democratic Presidential candidate who has commented that he met his now-husband through Hinge. 

Hinge is apparently delivering what users are looking for and to do that it imposes strict community guidelines and deviating from them might get you banned from using it. 

Can Hinge Shadowban You? 

As it turns out-yes, Hinge can ban you. As reported by multiple users recently, the application can and does restrict, shadowbans, and even permanently disables accounts. 

Why Do You Get Shadowbanned on Hinge?

If you discover that your account is not visible on the application (either doesn’t get as many matches, or you can’t log into your account anymore) there’s a solid chance you’ve been banned from the platform.

Hinge doesn’t really inform its users whether they’ve been shadowbanned or what are the reasons, but simply restricts users who have been flagged as violators. So, it’s anyone’s guess to figure out the reasons behind a shadowbanned. 

Among the most likely reasons, however, are if you’ve been trying to set up multiple accounts, have been disrespectful or rude to others, or didn’t follow the terms of service. It can also be as simple as you not responding to someone in time and them getting mad and reporting you. 

The reasons are many. 

How Long Does A Shadowban on Hinge Last? How to Lift a Shadowban? 

Shadowbans on Hinge, like on most other applications, are not actions that are officially recognized by the platform, and it’s very difficult to determine how long one will last.  

That can be especially frustrating if you haven’t done anything wrong and still your profile gets banned, or your likes are diminishing by the day. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to lift the ban but create a new account. 

Start by deleting that app from your phone. You should be able to do so, no matter if you still have access to the app or not. Simply go to your phone’s settings and remove it from the list of apps on your device. 

 Then move on to register a new account on Hinge. To do so you will have to set up a new email address and a telephone number (which you can set using Google Voice). You don’t want to associate your new account with your previous number and email, as that will defeat the purpose of resetting your Hinge account. 

To improve your chances of getting reinstated on Hinge you should use new photos, and new prompt responses when creating your account. While there is facial recognition on the app, there is still a chance the algorithm won’t be able to recognize you and let you create your profile. 

These steps should help you get reinstated on Hinge and keep looking for a suitable partner. Just make sure you stick to community guidelines and do your best to be nice to people, so you don’t have to deal with a shadowban again. 

Yubo Shadowban

Yubo- the French social network, created in 2015, and allowing users to create video live streams with up to 10 friends. The app is geared towards teenagers and young adults aged 13 to 17 and currently has over 50 million users worldwide. 

The app is yet another platform users have reported being shadowbanned on. Ranging from a decrease in activity to the inability to log in to the platform,  people take it to Reddit to ask and further discuss possible reasons for their bans on Yubo.

Similar to other applications Yubo implements strict community rules, especially given that the platform is geared towards minors and teenagers. 

That leads to the conclusion that most users get banned because they don’t follow community guidelines.  You can find an article on the Yubo support page that further explains how and why you get temporarily banned.

Listed among some of the reasons are bullying, harassment, or intimidation, and threats. Inappropriate sexual content and disregard of support team warnings are also considered reasons for a ban. 

How to Lift Yubo Shadowban? 

It’s reassuring to know that users simply reporting you will not be enough for your profile to be banned. However, if your account has been reviewed by the Yubo support team and they have found grounds for a temporary ban they will impose it immediately. 

Unfortunately, once enforced, you cannot lift a ban. Even the customer support team cannot lift it before the set period expires. 

What you can do is get yourself well acquainted with the community guidelines and make sure you follow them all. The Yubo team has clearly stated that any attempts to bypass suspensions may result in a permanent ban, so we’d advise you to wait it out. 

Another thing you can try is to deactivate your account and attempt to create a new one. In all cases, however, you should try to stick to what is allowed on the platform and avoid any prohibited activities. 

Fortnite Shadowban

Fortnite is a battle royale game that was released in 2017. It was developed by Epic Games and has become one of the most popular games in the world. The objective of the game is to be the last player standing, and players can use a variety of weapons and abilities to survive. 

Fortnite is free-to-play, but there are also in-game purchases that can be made. The game has a large community of players, and there are strict rules that players must follow. Breaking these rules can result in a player being shadowbanned.

Shadowbanning is when a player is banned from participating in online activities, but they are not told that they have been banned. This can make it difficult for the player to understand why they are no longer able to access certain features or participate in online games. There have been reports of players being shadowbanned on Fortnite, but it is not clear if this is actually happening.

How to Lift Fortnite Shadowban? 

Shadowbanning is usually done to prevent players from cheating or taking advantage of other players, but it is possible that some players are being shadowbanned unfairly. 

If you think you have been shadowbanned on Fortnite, there are a few things you can do to try and fix the problem. 

First, try contacting customer support. They may be able to help you figure out why you were shadowbanned and how to get un-banned. 

There are also some third-party tools that claim to be able to help you get un-banned from Fortnite, but these may not actually work and could even get you banned again. If you want to try one of these tools, make sure you research it thoroughly before using it. 

The best way to avoid being shadowbanned on Fortnite is to simply follow the rules and avoid cheating or taking advantage of other players. If you do get shadowbanned, don’t worry – there’s a good chance you’ll be able to get un-banned eventually.

Battlenet Shadowban

Battlenet is a gaming platform created by Blizzard Entertainment. It’s used for games such as World of Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and more. 

The Battlenet community has rules that all users must follow, and breaking these rules can result in a shadowban. A shadowban is when a user is banned from the platform but they don’t know it. 

Battlenet shadowbans are usually temporary, but some users have reported being shadowbanned for longer periods of time.

How to Lift Battlenet Shadowban? 

If you think you’ve been shadowbanned on Battlenet, there are a few things you can do to try and get out of it. 

First, try contacting customer support. Battlenet has been known to lift shadowbans if the user didn’t actually break any rules. 

You can also try using a different IP address or logging in from a different device. If all else fails, you can create a new account and start fresh.

Wiki Shadowban

Wikipedia or wiki is a website that anyone can edit and contribute to. It was created by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger in 2001.  The platform is powered by a community of users who follow certain rules and guidelines. 

If you break the rules, you may be shadowbanned. Wiki shadowbanning is when a user is banned from editing Wikipedia pages or contributing to wiki discussions. 

Users have reported being shadowbanned for adding links to spam websites, using profanity, or vandalizing wiki pages. If you are shadowbanned on Wikipedia, you may not be able to edit wiki pages or contribute to wiki discussions. 

How to Lift Wiki Shadowban? 

The wiki ban may be temporary or permanent, and it can be difficult to know if you’ve been shadowbanned. If you think you’ve been shadowbanned, there are a few things you can do to try to lift the ban.

First, try contacting the wiki administrators directly. They may be able to tell you why you were banned and how to appeal the decision. 

You can also try using a different wiki account; sometimes, shadowbans are specific to a single account. 

Finally, try using a VPN or proxy server to access Wikipedia, this can bypass some shadowban restrictions. You can also try using a different computer or IP address.

To Wrap it Up

Shadowbans are real. They exist across all types of social platforms and affect individuals and brands alike. 

Still many of the networks imposing such restrictions on their users don’t officially recognize the activity as something they do, but rather explain it with updates, or users violating their community guidelines. 

Nonetheless, users continue to complain their content disappears entirely or it becomes hard to find by their audience seemingly for no reason, perpetuating the belief shadowbans exist.

So to ensure your social profile is safe from shadowbanning we advise you to carefully read and get familiar with community guidelines, create only valuable content for your users, and take breaks from creating content. 

Often what you need to stay relevant is to listen to your audience more than bombard it with information non-stop. That will give you new ideas of what value you can bring to the constantly changing demands of your market. 

If, however, you’re currently experiencing a shadowban, our extensive guide will provide tips on how to remedy the situation.