Are there innocuous things that can get you unwittingly social banned?

Supreme_Atromancer · September 24

I've played this game for 10 years, and NEVER had a drama with any sort of banning or any warning, anything of the like.

I rarely even speak in zone, and haven't done so recently. Just speak in group with my partner.

Even I've copped it now. Earlier tonight I was able to mail my partner intricate gear. Now mail is disabled, which I've never seen. So I googled it and found that its a symptom of a social ban.

And yeah, I can message in group, but no one in group can see it. Like some kind of shadow-banning, not even a warning to tell me what's going on.

I've read that you can post your ticket number here, so here's mine: 240924-001374

Are other people getting social banned? For no reason?

If you're not using profanity, being rude, what sort of things are likely to get you social banned?

Is it fair to not even let someone no what's going on?

Other than to post my ticket number (in case it helps), I'm posting questions for discussion, so I hope that it doesn't need to be moved.

SkaiFaith · September 24

I would also like to know what exactly can cause this, and how can I tell when/if I'm affected.
Do we have any guideline about how to avoid this specific limitation?
Any dev insight would be much appreciated

SgtWinnie · September 24

I've been social banned so many times over the years I've lost count.
It's the main reason I stopped doing trials. Every 2nd or 3rd trial I would cop one. During events especially Jubilee while doing writs I would cop one. I have tried no addons/ vpn/ multiple internet connections. It's also happened to family members.
Years ago I could get them lifted usually within 24-36 hours. These days with so many whiny sods on this game crying about every little thing I guess support is a lot busier. Last couple took 4+ days.
Mine is probably latency related [Australia] and doing things that stack up a lot of button pushing in a short amount of time must trip the old "To many messages' algorithm is my only guess. So I adjusted my gameplay to suit as best I could. It's a shame I loved doing trials.
Hopefully your ban get's lifted quickly and you can go ahead playing.

SkaiFaith · September 24

SgtWinnie wrote: »

I've been social banned so many times over the years I've lost count.
It's the main reason I stopped doing trials. Every 2nd or 3rd trial I would cop one. During events especially Jubilee while doing writs I would cop one. I have tried no addons/ vpn/ multiple internet connections. It's also happened to family members.
Years ago I could get them lifted usually within 24-36 hours. These days with so many whiny sods on this game crying about every little thing I guess support is a lot busier. Last couple took 4+ days.
Mine is probably latency related [Australia] and doing things that stack up a lot of button pushing in a short amount of time must trip the old "To many messages' algorithm is my only guess. So I adjusted my gameplay to suit as best I could. It's a shame I loved doing trials.
Hopefully your ban get's lifted quickly and you can go ahead playing.

So is this something permanent if you don't act with a ticket? Or does it get lifted by itself after a period of time anyway?

MJallday · September 24

i would raise a ticket - doesnt seem right.

TaSheen · September 24

MJallday wrote: »

i would raise a ticket - doesnt seem right.

He did, and posted the number in the OP. @ZOS_Kevin

Wolfkeks · September 24

Got a social ban once because one of my add-ons apparently triggered the system. Support solved it for me but it took a couple days.

ZOS_Kevin · September 24

@Supreme_Atromancer we have escalated the ticket with customer service and they should be taking care of it now.

Supreme_Atromancer · September 24

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

@Supreme_Atromancer we have escalated the ticket with customer service and they should be taking care of it now.

I appreciate that heaps. Thankyou.

I'd really love to know what even happened lol. But I guess I'll see soon enough. Hopefully.

PrincessOfThieves · September 24

Wolfkeks wrote: »

Got a social ban once because one of my add-ons apparently triggered the system. Support solved it for me but it took a couple days.

Which addon was it?

Warhawke_80 · September 24

I have had a lot of weird things happen to me since I've been playing I had one player that was convinced I was their ex and was just shunning them...I have had some scary things said to me just because of the mount I was on (One dude kept following me around calling me "The Clown Crate King" over I mount I got from a free crate...I mean he was really really angry) I accidently joined a Trade Guild that was more or less a cult that worshiped the pig in Daggerfall....

But I never have been social banned...is this actually a thing?

TaSheen · September 24

It seems that in the last couple of years too many key-presses can be taken by the backend software to be "spamming". I've never had it happen, but a couple of friends have.

belial5221_ESO · September 24

Mail addons sometimes used to do it,spamming in chat fast and repeatedly,using software or addon to get faster key presses in combat,could have said something that not bannable but offensive emough to get social ban,not perm ban.It's why best to keep addons updated if you use em,so they adhere to the updated api rules as they roll out.I never got banned,temp or social,but I don't really speak in chat unless helping ppl,and use basic addons that won't spam tihngs.

Supreme_Atromancer · September 24

Warhawke_80 wrote: »

I have had a lot of weird things happen to me since I've been playing I had one player that was convinced I was their ex and was just shunning them...I have had some scary things said to me just because of the mount I was on (One dude kept following me around calling me "The Clown Crate King" over I mount I got from a free crate...I mean he was really really angry) I accidently joined a Trade Guild that was more or less a cult that worshiped the pig in Daggerfall....

Those are all amazing.

I've been in a lot of guilds/discords and known lots of people to report being social banned in the past- its usually not a surprise given the people involved (they usually aren't surprised themselves), so I know its a thing. I was just blown away because I hadn't really had a chance to log on for a few days before today, hadn't talked at all, really; just linked some dungeon drops to my partner in group chat. Until I suddenly couldn't. Nor could my partner.

TaSheen wrote: »

It seems that in the last couple of years too many key-presses can be taken by the backend software to be "spamming". I've never had it happen, but a couple of friends have.

Partner and I are in a high latency zone, so I suppose it could have been? I've been d/c before for "message spamming", but never social banned. Or perhaps my ESOfam is so nuclear these days that I have yet never even knew.

Apparently there can be undisclosed, non-TOS things that can prompt a Social Ban. Its inconvenient and very alarming, but at least its been resolved for me, very quickly and politely. Thx again to @ZOS_Kevin , and @TaSheen for helping.

joergino · September 24

TaSheen wrote: »

It seems that in the last couple of years too many key-presses can be taken by the backend software to be "spamming". I've never had it happen, but a couple of friends have.

It can happen when you hand in master crafting writs. You get an error message that tells you that you've sent too many messages, even though it was more the game sending messages to the player. So far this hasn't led to a social ban, though. At least not yet.

TaSheen · September 24

joergino wrote: »

TaSheen wrote: »

It seems that in the last couple of years too many key-presses can be taken by the backend software to be "spamming". I've never had it happen, but a couple of friends have.

It can happen when you hand in master crafting writs. You get an error message that tells you that you've sent too many messages, even though it was more the game sending messages to the player. So far this hasn't led to a social ban, though. At least not yet.

I've never done more than a handful at a time, so probably just never ran into something that weird.

AzuraFan · September 24

TaSheen wrote: »

It seems that in the last couple of years too many key-presses can be taken by the backend software to be "spamming". I've never had it happen, but a couple of friends have.

I haven't been dinged with any violations, but when I was learning potions at an alchemy table by trial and error (basically just trying different ingredients until I find an unknown potion), I got a warning, though I forget exactly what it was. Using a gamepad, you can move really quickly.

TaSheen · September 24

Heh. Gamepads make me feel even MORE uncoordinated than I am anyway....

Ugrak · September 24

You can often spot the gamepad users by the characteristic jump they do when attempting to interact with something.