noun
Internet Slang
shadowban
· noun · internet
Quietly throttling an account's visibility without telling them.
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Definitions
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When a platform silently restricts how many people see your posts — your replies don't surface, your hashtags don't show, your follower count stalls — without ever telling you it's happening. Officially denied, constantly alleged.
“My reach tanked overnight; I'm convinced I got shadowbanned for that one Israel reply.”
by community
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Verb form: to apply such a restriction.
“TikTok will shadowban you for saying certain words out loud — that's why everyone types 'unalive.'”
by community
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shadowban In A Sentence
My reach tanked overnight; I'm convinced I got shadowbanned for that one Israel reply.
TikTok will shadowban you for saying certain words out loud — that's why everyone types 'unalive.'
Origin & Usage
Coined on early web forums (mid-2000s) as 'hellbanning,' it migrated to social platforms as 'shadowban' once users suspected Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok of invisibly demoting them.
People Also Ask
What is a shadowban?
A shadowban is quietly throttling an account's visibility without telling the user.
How do you use shadowban in a sentence?
"My posts stopped getting views overnight — I think I've been shadowbanned."
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