TIL about Heavenbanning

It’s when you’re banned from a platform, but instead of being told you’re banned, all of the accounts that reply to you get replaced by sycophantic LLM bots

creating and destroying; built flying cars & autonomous vehicles, now building roc.camera, writings: july.rocks

TIL as well, thanks.

If actually implemented, wouldn’t it be obvious rather quickly to the user/troll that the unusually positive replies they receive are from bots? Short of the user being a delusional narcissist.

At which point it’s an even clearer signal (compared to no replies at all, as in the case of a more traditional shadowban) to cycle the account and start again.

So not only does it raise a slight ethical concern (faking users and engagement, even if targeted at just one person — they’re always the risk of ensnaring others who actively follow that user too), but I’m unconvinced it would be more effective than shadowbanning, in the sense that it would give away the moderation action sooner.

It’s a fun though experiment though