The Rules That Actually Get You Banned
Most Bitcointalk rules are common-sense. But there are specific behaviors that almost guarantee a ban, and many newbies stumble into them without realizing.
The non-negotiable rules
1. No spam
"Spam" on Bitcointalk has a wider definition than most places:
- Posting just to increase activity
- One-line replies that add nothing
- Repeating the same point across multiple threads
- Bumping your own threads excessively
- Promoting the same link in many places
If a moderator looks at your post history and sees a pattern of low-effort posting, you're in trouble — even if no single post was clearly spam.
2. No plagiarism
Copying content from elsewhere — articles, other forum posts, AI-generated text passed off as your own — gets you banned. Members run dedicated threads that collect and report copied posts.
3. No alt accounts without permission
Multiple accounts are generally allowed. What is not allowed is using them to gain merit, manipulate ratings, vote twice, or evade a ban — that is grounds for banning every account involved. Ban evasion in particular is treated as its own offence.
4. No scam advertising
Promoting scams, even indirectly, gets you banned. This includes:
- Wearing a signature for a known scam
- Promoting Ponzi schemes
- Advertising HYIPs (high-yield investment programs)
- Promoting unverified ICOs
5. No threats or harassment
Threats of violence, doxxing, hacking, or sustained harassment — instant permanent ban.
The "soft" rules that still get you banned
Do
- Read each board's stickied rules before posting
- Quote only what you're replying to, never huge walls
- Keep one account active at a time
- Edit your own posts to fix mistakes — don't double-post
Don't
- Wrong-board posting repeatedly
- Bumping your own threads with 'bump'
- Self-moderation abuse (silencing critics in your own thread)
- Quoting massive posts as a low-effort reply
The grey areas
Some borderline behavior depends on context. A first-time mistake usually gets a warning. Repeated patterns escalate to temp bans, then permanent ones.
How bans actually happen
- User or moderator reports a post or pattern
- Global moderator reviews recent post history
- Decision: warning, temp ban (1-30 days), or permanent ban
- Appeals via the Meta board if you feel wronged
Permanent bans are rarely overturned. Temp bans expire automatically.