Are you shadowbanned? The FTC wants to hear from you.

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched a request for information from members of the public whose ability to post or be seen on tech platforms has been limited by said platforms — aka, those who are shadowbanned.Shadowbanning may refer to different things, but usually, it refers to a user’s posts or account having limited visibility. This can range from someone’s posts not being included in followers’ feeds or an app’s “Explore” page to someone’s account not showing up in Search. SEE ALSO: Why pro-Palestinian content is at the center of the TikTok ban Social media platforms typically deny that shadowbanning exists, but it’s a well-documented occurrence. Now, the FTC, the independent agency that investigates unfair business practices, has called it tech censorship and asked people experiencing it to submit a comment. They also encouraged users who have been banned or demonetized from platforms to submit comments, too.Platform governance researcher at Northumbria University’s Center for Digital Citizens, Dr. Carolina Are, believes it’s important for shadowbanned members of the public to submit their comments.”Users are experts of their own experience, and particularly marginalized users that are targeted by censorship could provide responses and examples anonymously,” said Are, who has commented about shadowbanning to Mashable previously.Are believes it’s also important that researchers who have data and proof of how shadowbanning largely affects marginalized communities take part in submitting a comment. Are herself has been shadowbanned before, and has written papers about the subject. She continued that the timing for the request…Are you shadowbanned? The FTC wants to hear from you.