banning users
when and how to ban users from your sub, and how to manage existing bans.
banning prevents a user from posting or replying in your sub. use it deliberately.
when to ban
bans are for people who repeatedly violate rules or who have shown they're not going to participate in good faith. a single bad post usually doesn't warrant a ban. remove the content and let it be a warning. reserve bans for patterns of behavior or egregious single incidents (harassment, slurs, spam floods).
temporary vs permanent
you can set an expiry on a ban. temporary bans (a few days to a few weeks) work well for cooling-off periods or first serious offenses. permanent bans are for people who have made clear they won't change.
ban reasons
always give a reason when you ban someone. it creates a record for other moderators, helps if the ban is ever contested, and lets the banned user understand what happened. "repeated spam" or "harassment of members" is enough. you don't need to write an essay.
unbanning
bans can be lifted from the bans list. if someone reaches out and convincingly explains they understand what went wrong, it's reasonable to give them another chance, especially for older bans.