Banned Members Shaming

[Shawn Gossman]

Some forums will announce banning a member.

Many have topics made to show banned members and their offenses.

Some are against this because they feel it can be toxic, while other are for it.

Where do you stand on announcing member bans?

 

[Dilip]

I think it is important to do that.

1. The member will try to spread false stories
2. Members wouldn't know what's wrong
3. It should be a community decision

 

[Altair]

I would not join a forum that did this.
If you need to ban a member, go for it. It's understandable.
I find it toxic. Its no one's business why that person was banned.

 

[Uncrowned Guard]

Seems very needless and likely to do more harm than good. If a member is causing issues and gets banned, let them be banned and gone. All it really achieves is keeping that member in conversation and does nothing to prevent them from being a problem later if they plan on causing drama, fake accounts, etc, that message will do zero to stop it.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Personally, I am opposed to announcing bans.

I feel like banning is at the discretion of moderators and/or the forum owner.

A ban to me is almost like an employment termination. Privacy is needed.

I don't announce why I've banned people but if asked, I'd give the generic response that they "violated the forum guidelines". I feel that would be an appropriate response.

 

[capnsquarepants]

I wouldn't announce users who get banned. But if a member asks what happens to a specific member, I'll be transparent about it.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I wouldn't announce users who get banned. But if a member asks what happens to a specific member, I'll be transparent about it.

I feel like that being transparent is a good reaction.

But as far as telling people about why someone was banned from the get-go, not always the best choice.

 

[Kale]

I have been a moderator of a site which is transparent of bans on the forum. There's no shaming of the person though. It just lists why they were banned and that is it.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I have been a moderator of a site which is transparent of bans on the forum. There's no shaming of the person though. It just lists why they were banned and that is it.

I suppose that doesn't sound so bad when you put it that way.

Gossiping about it would be horrible.

But still, I might do something like that on the staff section just for team members.

I'm not sure. That would be a hard choice, honestly.