WHAT IS A SHADOW BAN?
A shadow ban blocks or mutes a user on a social media platform or online forum without prior notice by hiding their content from other users.
Spamming stories and comments, excessively using hashtags, using banned terms and hashtags, and other activities trigger the algorithm, thus the ban is imposed.
Essentially, content is invisible/less visible to other users and engagement drops abruptly and significantly (less views, likes, comments, shares, etc.).
The ban can last from a few days to a few weeks, even indefinitely, depending on a user's activities and actions taken to lift the ban from their account.
CONTEXT
Netizens are being censored across social media platforms such as Instagram, X (f.k.a. Twitter), Facebook, Discord, and more for spreading awareness and debunking misinformation amid the Palestine-Israel atrocities happening since Saturday, October 7, 2023.
Circulating awareness posts include the following, but are not limited to:
Footage of impacted areas across the Gaza strip, civilians martyred and injured by air strikes and internationally banned weapons of mass destruction, demolition of residential buildings, wipe out of refugee camps, and bombardment of routes traveled by fleeing civilians from North Gaza to South Gaza, and much more.
Excessive and uncensored use (spamming) of banned hashtags and terms flooding captions and comments under awareness posts.
Excessive uploading and sharing (spamming) of solely awareness posts.
Posts that debunk myths and misinformation propelled into and swung around the digital world without proper analysis.
Posts reviewing the unbiased, raw history of Palestine and Israel from conception to their present states
EFFECTIVE HACKS TO DODGE THE BAN
1. Confusing the Algorithm on Stories and Feed
A) Posting and sharing a few unrelated photos, memes or reels in between awareness posts throws off the algorithm.
Ex. Posting 2 unrelated photos sandwiched between every 5 awareness posts, sharing an unrelated meme after every 3 awareness posts
B) Pros and Cons of Unpredictability of Behavior Online
I. Pros of Unpredictability of Behavior Online:
- Variation in shared content breaks continuation
- Maintains present engagement (albeit lower than usual)
II. Cons of Unpredictability of Behavior Online:
- Risk of spamming (account may be confused for a bot)
- Risk of community guidelines violations
- Risk of low engagement (views and likes especially)
2. Screenshotting, Screen Recording, and Saving Content
A) Original content is more likely to be taken down by Meta. For many users, it translates as disappearing stories, overall low engagement, and blocked posts on the main feed without prior notice. For others, entire accounts are shut down with a "threat" of community guidelines violation.
B. To avoid complete burial of content that needs to trend, users who are able to access original posts, stories, and links are screenshotting, screen recording, and saving their findings to repost on their own accounts with credit to the source. One post is removed, a dozen more emerge. One voice is silenced, a hundred more speak up.
3. Posting Saved Stories
A) When posting original, written stories, many users make the mistake of posting the text as-is. It gets picked up by the algorithm, is muted, and does not reach the intended audience - either on time or at all. This is especially the case with text containing uncensored banned terms and hashtags (see below).
B) An alternative to directly posting a written story is to screenshot or save, then post. By doing so, the chances of detection are reduced.
4. Engaging and Interacting with Stories
A) Sometimes, uploading a story, post, or reel is not enough. In the case of awareness posts, it certainly does not suffice. This leads to low or stagnant engagement, thus little to no traffic on one's account.
B) To increase traffic and engagement, listed below are interactive stickers that can be utilized as tools:
- "Ask me a question"/QUESTIONS sticker
- POLLS sticker
- LINK sticker
- @MENTION sticker
- "Write a prompt/ADDS YOURS" sticker
C) Here are some tools to utilize when engaging with other users’ stories:
- Share button (bottom right) > other Instagram users (via direct message), Threads button, Copy Link button, etc.
5. Liking and Replying to Stories
A) Liking or replying to a story is also a form of engagement. Even if it's an emoji reaction, avatar reaction, a typed word, or a typed emoji, it still counts as a response.
6. Censoring Banned Terms and Phrases
A) Meta is infamous for its unfair censorship, especially in the past month regarding discourse on the genocide happening in Gaza and the West Bank in Palestine at the hands of Israeli Occupation Forces. Stories, posts, reels, and comments are removed. Accounts are suspended. Meta’s rationale is that the content in question is violating community guidelines by engaging in hate speech or terrorism. In short, the algorithm is triggered by sensitive content and politically-focused topics, especially if one side is louder and stronger than the other. One of the many triggers is the usage of uncensored banned terms and phrases.
B) Incorporating symbols and special characters between letters helps. For example, instead of writing “Palestine,” write “p@L€$t¡n€”. Instead of writing “genocide,” write “g€n0©¡d€”. Adding an emoji or two also does the trick.
Make good use of the knowledge you gain and amplify the silenced voices who need your support. If you don't use your voice for good, then what good is your voice?