Shadowbanning is when a platform limits the visibility of a user's content without telling them, so their posts appear to publish normally on their end but reach a smaller audience, or don't show up in search and recommendations at all. The user usually has no direct sign it's happening.

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‍Why it matters

Platforms use it instead of an outright ban because it avoids giving a spammer or someone gaming the system clear feedback that they've been caught, which would just prompt them to open a new account. The tradeoff is that it's controversial because of that lack of transparency. Users shadowbanned by mistake, or by an overly aggressive automated system, have no clear way to know why their reach dropped or how to appeal, which can look like unaccountable censorship from the outside even when it isn't.

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‍How platforms typically use it

‍It's most often applied to accounts suspected of spam, engagement manipulation, or repeated minor violations that don't individually justify a full ban, not as a first response to a single violation. Because of the transparency concerns, some platforms have moved toward at least partial disclosure, letting users check whether their account has reduced visibility.