Shadowban Explained in Detail

There are probably no other topics surrounded by as many rumors and speculations as the concept of shadowbanning. It’s a situation where a user's account loses reach for unknown reasons. At the same time, major platforms (social networks, video hosting services, etc.) claim that shadowbanning is a myth or they don’t comment on users' concerns and complaints at all.

However, users worldwide share their experiences of being "put in the shadows." They have even identified signs that help recognize a shadowban and ways to combat this situation.

In this article, we will explain what shadowbanning means, how to avoid it, and what to do if it happens to your account.

What is a shadowban

A shadowban (or also shadow ban) is a significant reduction in the reach of posts on social networks and other content platforms, as well as the absence of content being shown based on geolocation or hashtags. Engagement drops — likes and comments decrease. Meanwhile, the account remains active and does not receive any warnings, so the author may not even realize something is wrong. The duration of a shadowban is uncertain; it usually lasts from a few weeks to months.

There are theories that platforms use this method to combat unwanted or spammy content. Since the user’s account is still active, they don’t take corrective actions like they would in the case of a block. Meanwhile, significantly fewer people see their content.

On which platforms is shadowbanning observed

Shadowbanning is particularly discussed in Instagram* and Facebook*. An account becomes visible only to followers (and even for them, visibility decreases), while external recommendations and hashtag appearances disappear.

YouTube denies shadowbanning, but there are instances where channel creators notice that their videos stop gaining views and reactions. Their content also disappears from recommendations.

In Telegram, when a shadowban occurs, the channel becomes unsearchable, and new participants can't be added to chats. TikTok hides comments from users whose accounts are shadowbanned.

How to check for shadowban

No platform has officially confirmed this type of block, so users won't receive an official notification. However, there are ways to determine if you're shadowbanned.

• Analyze reach. A significant drop in views and engagement without an apparent reason over time is one sign that the platform may be reducing your visibility.

• Check hashtags. Publish a post with a low-frequency hashtag and see if it appears under that hashtag. For accuracy, ask friends or acquaintances who follow you to check as well. If they don't see your post under the hashtag, you may be shadowbanned.

• Survey your followers. Another way to check for a shadowban is to ask friends and acquaintances if they see you in their feed. If most of them say no, your content is likely being hidden by the platform. You can also create a poll in your stories or write a question in a post. The number of reactions can help you determine if there’s a problem or if it’s simply an issue with your content.

Example of a survey of followers on social media

Important tip! Consider all factors that could affect a shadowban. It's also essential to monitor the dynamics. If your reach and engagement drop for just one or two days, it doesn't necessarily mean you're being shadowbanned. Take into account the content topics, external factors (such as widespread VPN outages for platforms that require them), or even platform technical issues.

It’s not a shadowban

Sometimes, the issue isn't the platform’s algorithms. Decreased reach and engagement can be triggered by:

• Content. If you suddenly change your communication style or format, your audience might not understand or engage with it. The same happens if your posts become repetitive and uninteresting. If you initially had a "wow" effect and then followed with ordinary content, don't expect to maintain the same metrics.

• Newsworthy events. A scandal or interesting situation can initially increase reach. But once the hype fades and following the story becomes less exciting, your stats will drop. That's why some influencers constantly stir up their audience’s interest with new provocations.

• Long absence. If you neglect your social media accounts and suddenly return, don’t expect high reach right away. Algorithms change rapidly and require consistent content. Don’t blame a shadowban for inactivity — when you return, you’ll need to rebuild your account’s performance from scratch.

How to get shadowbanned

Online platforms have their own rules and content requirements, so there are no strict guidelines on what to do or avoid. However, certain actions increase your chances of getting shadowbanned:

1. Buying fake followers instead of real ones. If such accounts follow you automatically, it's best to clean them up periodically.

2. Posting content on forbidden topics. Always check the public rules on content sharing. Sensitive topics usually include politics, religion, medicine, alcohol, smoking, and banned substances.

3. Content theft and lack of originality. This is disliked by both platforms and users, who might report you.

4. Suspiciously high activity. Posting too much in one day, excessive reactions, or frequently adding and removing users are signs of spamming, which is disliked by algorithms (and real people).

5. High number of unfollows. This often happens when you run contests requiring people to follow your account. After the contest, they may either become inactive followers or unfollow en masse, which harms your account’s reputation on social platforms. The same applies if you manually remove many inactive users at once.

6. Using third-party automation services. Only use internal or platform-approved services.

7. Inappropriate or banned hashtags and hashtag overload. Some hashtags may be hidden by platforms, so check them before posting. Avoid using the same set of hashtags on every post. For example, on Instagram, it’s recommended to use hashtags with high frequency (millions of mentions).

8. Trolling or abusive behavior. Rude comments and disrespectful interactions with other users increase the risk of a shadowban. People may report you, and platforms’ algorithms can now detect offensive language.

How to get out of a shadowban and avoid it in the future

Just like with its causes, there’s no foolproof way to escape a shadowban once you’ve been hit. However, there are strategies that users across different social platforms have tested with varying degrees of success.

Here are some general rules on how to navigate a shadowban:

• Carefully review the platform’s guidelines and compare them to your actions. You might quickly discover what you did wrong and be able to correct it.

• Contact support. Instead of complaining about a shadowban (which platforms usually deny), inquire about the drop in reach and other issues. It could be related to algorithm changes or platform errors. Or they might tell you directly what you're doing wrong. In that case, start following the rules and don’t try to trick the system.

• Disable all third-party services linked to your account. These are often used to automate actions like mass-liking, mass-following, or sending bulk messages.

• Stop posting for a few days. This works best if any connected automation services are also turned off. In some cases, you may need to remain inactive for longer — up to two weeks.

• Reduce excessive hashtags in your posts, especially if you’ve been using too many.

Example of excessive hashtags in the publications

• Remove content that could offend others. This lowers the chance of receiving complaints, which can lead to a full account ban rather than just a shadowban.

• Launch an ad campaign or a collaborative project. This can attract new users and boost engagement. It signals to the platform’s algorithms that your account is trustworthy and genuinely interests your followers. This is the opposite approach to "going silent" but is also commonly used when users suspect they’ve been shadowbanned.

Important tip! Regularly analyze your account stats on social media or other content platforms.

Summary

A shadowban is an unexplained, sudden drop in your account's reach on social media or other platforms. There may also be restrictions on actions, making the user "invisible" to their audience.

How to know if you're shadowbanned: analyze your view statistics, check for banned hashtags in your posts, and ask your followers if they can see your content.

Users get shadowbanned for breaking platform rules, using automation services, being overly active, posting on prohibited topics, or displaying hostile behavior.

To get out of a shadowban, reduce your activity, contact support to rule out technical issues, study the platform’s rules and adjust your account accordingly, remove excessive hashtags and questionable posts. Another option is to run ads or collaborations to grow your audience.

* Meta's products are recognized as extremist organizations in the Russian Federation.