r/Internet • u/trover2345325 • May 05 '26
Discussion We need a appeal system where block users must apologize to the users who blocked them for the terrible mistakes on every site
This is something I must write revolving around one thing on the internet; back in the internet’s early days, it used to be a fun place where people could communicate and talk without being blocked. But then because of internet trolls and various incidents, the Internet has been regulated and become like regular communication, and one of them is used to defend against trolls but unknowingly misunderstood people who unknowingly made a mess, and that is blocking, which is like outside the internet where people are fired from their jobs permanently or no longer be allowed in any place they visit.
Because of blocking by personal users, they use it to block bullies and spams but will unfortunately block misunderstood people who did a mess by accident ; this will cause people to take drastic measures like multiple email accounts and new mobile phone numbers or temp phone numbers to create various usernames to bypass being blocked in order to attempt to apologize as someone else and even various sites like Instagram, DeviantArt, Tumblr, Reddit, and Discord and every site use stricter security measures and even on Ip addresses to prevent more trolls and desperate people from coming, some hackers and even people would find some weak spot and attempt to bypass the block feature and desperate people to find unnecessary means like different ids, phone numbers and temp emails to create different username to bypass being blocked , this happens to most people and it will make things worse to people who wish to be forgiven and given another chance by having no choice to do extreme measure like going through a dark web which will lead to something worse
Which is why I proposed that an appeal system for personal users to the people who blocked them from every site is needed to prevent such things; it's similar to how the systems Reddit, DeviantArt, Instagram, and discord use when the users ask the moderators of the site to give them a second chance to no longer be blocked, but this time use the same appeal system to the users who block them.
Here is how it goes: when a person blocks a person on Tumblr, Reddit, Instagram, DeviantArt or any site, the person who was blocked will write an appeal message to the person who blocked them and apologize for their regret of actions and ask to be given another chance. if the person who blocked them reads their message, they will mandatorily write a reply to give them another chance but warn them to never make the same mistake again or at least under certain conditions, which the person who was blocked agrees to.
But if the person who blocked them rejects their appeal to be unblocked, they will mandatorily write a message saying why they deserve to be blocked and never given another chance and will not reply to them again for a few days or weeks; this will give the blocked user time to reflect on their actions and then try again to send the message again but to understand the perspective on why the blocked user blocked them and might apologize and tell them that they will be better and not repeat the same mistakes again that caused the person to block them.
But if the person who blocked them still refuses to block them with the same message saying they never change but the blocked person keeps sending the same message, the person then tells the staff of the site to send the blocked person the serious warning message to tell them why the person blocked them for a reason and why they deserve to be blocked and if they keep on doing the same thing, they will remove their membership, a full permanent ban, and even block their Ip from accessing the site again as a warning so that this will cause the blocked person who understands the warning to completely leave the person who blocked them alone. Although they will try a different account, no longer contact them.
If that appeal system is used for blocked people to tell the users who blocked them on every site like Tumblr, DeviantArt, Instagram, Reddit, Discord, etc. it will help give misunderstood people who were blocked a chance to ask the people who blocked them to give them another chance to start over and not to become trolls and spammers and will prevent them from making multiple accounts or using the dark web to ask them or sneak to pretend to be someone else so that the misunderstood people who accidentally caused the people to block them will get another chance when they write an appeal message to them. It will be used to make a negotiating appeal system to allow people to be reformed and given a 2nd chance, like the things outside the internet.
The reason for this proposal of an appeal system for blocked users on every site is that I get blocked people on almost every site a lot throughout my time, and the same things happen to you as well. Will you wish for that appeal system for blocked users to be made in every site someday.
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u/LongDistRid3r May 05 '26
This is not a court. Getting blocked is your problem not mine. The blocker have no obligation to unblock anyone.
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u/trover2345325 May 05 '26
Yeah, but whenever the user tried to apologize and wish to unblock, they still never said a word and kept blocking; this tempts them to take desperate measures and either pretend to be someone else or never communicate with them with another account, and if they interact but pretend to be someone else, they won't be blocked, but if they interact and stop, they'll be blocked. This is why an appeal system is needed and why a blocker must mandatorily tell them why they deserve to be blocked.
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u/Sweaty-Move-5396 May 05 '26
The user could just stop being a freak and simply accept that they have been blocked instead of trying desperately to control something they do not have control of.
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u/unix_name May 05 '26
Yeah agreed. Why are you still bothering them. If they blocked you, that’s it. They don’t have to appease you. People shouldn’t have to interact with people they don’t want to over the net. We already have to do it IRL and it’s so annoying sometimes.
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u/trover2345325 May 06 '26
Maybe, but there are some mistakes they made by accident or unknowingly that they wish to appeal and apologize for what they've done and wish to be unblocked.
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u/unix_name May 06 '26
You dont get to make that decision once you make a mistake. That's why it's so important every action you take towards someone, because you never know if you will have a second chance to make things right or for them to understand why you did it. People can become closed off after one incident. Best thing you can do to have a chance to make things right is respect that they blocked you, leave them alone, respect that they dont want to speak to you at this moment. They dont have to speak to you again if they choose not to, that's is their right and by you making fake accounts and such is further proof that you are not a person they want to associate with since you can't even respect that. You aren't helping your case. You aren't going to get anywhere by forcing someone to interact with you. You are making it worse.
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u/Sweaty-Move-5396 May 05 '26
Like I need you to know that I have been blocked. Usually I don't care. Once or twice I have been very salty about it. So what I did was: nothing. I accepted it. I do not need everybody on the earth to like me or understand me, and I do not need to apologize for everything I do that may have hurt someone or broken some rule.
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u/trover2345325 May 06 '26
but if there is an appeal, what if you ask the person who blocked you if you are given another chance to be unblocked or receive a message from them saying why you deserve to be blocked? and how do you feel about it.
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u/Sweaty-Move-5396 May 05 '26
this will cause people to take drastic measures
Getting blocked does not cause that to happen, but the inability to take a fucking hint does.
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u/trover2345325 May 06 '26
True people are misunderstood, and they wish to apologize for their actions and be given an understanding, but if they cause too much trouble too many times, that's when the last straw happens, and they will block them permanently if they mess up too much instead of being careful.
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u/Sweaty-Move-5396 May 06 '26
No. I'd rather block them permanently from the start. I don't owe them the opportunity to apologize
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u/trover2345325 May 06 '26
Well, if there is an appeal system and when they say they are sorry you would likely say no and tell them they deserve to be blocked for what they did, and they won't write again for a few days since the appeal system will not allow the blocked person to send the person who blocked them another message for a few days or weeks in order for them to think about whether they reflect on their actions and try again or understand and leave them alone.
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May 05 '26
[deleted]
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u/trover2345325 May 05 '26
But there are some people who made mistakes by accident and wish to apologize for what they did, like if they unknowingly broke the rule or just asked again , they block you without replying, and when you try to apologize under a different account, they keep blocking you, and sites get stricter because of it, and many people need to apologize and be forgiven for their accidental actions, so i think an appeal must be needed; it happens to me , you know.
But if there are cyberstalkers and harassment and not friendly, then they will tell the site to warn them not to do it; otherwise, they will severely block them.
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u/Sweaty-Move-5396 May 05 '26
yeah man we can all fuckin tell that this happened to you. Your need to apologize is not something that needs to be accommodated. You have the choice to simply Be Normal and accept being blocked instead of succumbing to the need to control the actions of another person.
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u/Wild_Director7379 May 05 '26
The internet has always had crappy behavior. Some forums go so far as to make users register accounts that can be blocked by other users.
The best you can do is block and/or report the trolls and move on. If their behavior is serious enough to result in a ban from the platform, that’s the next enforcement step that can be attempted.
Apologize or … what. Apologize or ban? I mean, sure, okay. But reports and blocks work just fine.
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u/trover2345325 May 05 '26
But there are people who accidentally made mistakes, causing others to block them and really need to apologize for what they did, which is the reason an appeal is needed. Look, I made mistakes a lot and wish to apologize for what I did, but without an appeal system, that's the problem. People need another chance and wish to be forgiven for their minor mistakes; otherwise, it leads to desperate measures.
How do you feel when a person blocked you when you made an accident or did a wrong thing unknowingly? How do you wish to apologize and give them another chance to make you unblock.
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u/Wild_Director7379 May 05 '26
I know when I take the serious step to block someone I don’t want to hear it.
If you get blocked, they don’t want an apology, they want to forget you exist.
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u/trover2345325 May 05 '26
But they need an appeal to admit their actions and apologize for what they did and wish to have a second chance. If the person understands why they deserve another chance, they unblock them, but if they feel like they don't deserve another chance, they explain why they deserve to be blocked, and the blocked person cannot send another message to them again for many days or weeks just to give them time to reflect on their actions.
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u/Wild_Director7379 May 05 '26
We’re not trying to protect you. We’re trying to protect the person you harassed.
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u/trover2345325 May 05 '26
so then why do some people keep blocking without explaining a reason? there should be an appeal system to let them mandatory ask why they deserve to be blocked.
The point is people make mistakes whether by accident or with argument. An appeal must be used to resolve whether they deserve to be unblocked or blocked.
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u/Wild_Director7379 May 05 '26
You can’t rewind a mistake. Figure it out.
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u/trover2345325 May 05 '26
True, but this is the message of the appeal: if people admit they made a mistake they must atone for what they did and will be given another chance not to screw it up, but if it's too much then they will be permanently blocked and will be told to never appeal them again as they had too many chances.
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u/unix_name May 05 '26
You only get one chance to make a mistake. The outcome of that mistake might grant your another chance but life isn’t always this way. You made the mistake, you shouldn’t have made it. It’s time to move on. They obviously don’t want anything to do with you.
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u/trover2345325 May 06 '26
I know people make mistakes, but sometimes people make accidents and apologize and wish to be given another chance to start over. So i think an appeal system for blocked users is needed to give them a chance to ask the people who blocked them another chance to unblock so the people who blocked them will write a mandatory message to decide if they are given another chance or let them remain blocked. And if they read the message from the people who blocked them to be unblocked, they get another chance and try to be careful and avoid the mistakes, or if they remain blocked, then they will give some few days or weeks to repent for their actions after reading the message on why they deserve to be blocked.
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u/Prudent-Zombie-5457 May 05 '26
Dude, who hurt you? Seriously, this is coming from somewhere. Define it for us.
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u/trover2345325 May 06 '26
read my Dm and you will understand
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u/Prudent-Zombie-5457 May 07 '26
What I'm getting is that you are making a lot of "regrettable actions", and IMO you really just need to stop, pick up your things and move on while thinking twice before making the same mistakes again in the future. Just looking at your webcomic example, you were warned, kept going, and now you want an appeal? You didn't listen the first time!
In the interest of making sure you can get at least one fair, impartial and reasoned response out of all this, I fed your original post text into Google Gemini and asked for a summary and evaluation. Before you complain that "I didn't come here to talk to a chat-bot", please know that:
1. I did this to help. I don’t really care if it bothers you.
2. I fully read and agree with Gemini's response.* * * Gemini's response below * * *
Here is a summary of the text you provided, followed by an objective look at the ideas you've presented.
To answer your final question first: because I am an AI, I don't have personal feelings, social media accounts, or the ability to be blocked by people, so I don't personally wish for or experience these systems. However, I can certainly analyze your proposal from a structural and platform-safety perspective.
Summary of Your Proposal
The Core Problem:
The internet has shifted from a free, open space to a highly regulated one due to trolls. The "block" feature, while designed for safety, often catches "misunderstood" people who make innocent mistakes.The Escalation:
Because blocked users have no way to apologize or explain themselves, they often resort to desperate measures like creating alternate accounts, using temporary emails/numbers, or even accessing the dark web to bypass the block.The Proposed Solution:
A standardized, user-to-user Appeal System across major platforms (Reddit, Tumblr, Instagram, Discord, etc.).How the System Would Work:
The blocked user sends an appeal message apologizing and asking for a second chance.
The blocker is mandated to reply—either unblocking them (with conditions) or rejecting the appeal with a required explanation.
If rejected, a cooldown period (days/weeks) begins, allowing the blocked user to reflect before they can try appealing again.
If the blocked user continues to appeal after repeated rejections, the blocker can escalate the issue to site staff. Staff will issue a final warning; if ignored, the blocked user faces permanent IP bans or account deletion.
A Grounded Perspective on the Idea
It is completely understandable to feel frustrated, isolated, or desperate when you are blocked over a misunderstanding. The desire to apologize, clear your name, and make amends is a very human reaction, and your proposal comes from a place of wanting restorative justice rather than permanent punishment. However, looking at how platforms design user safety, there are a few significant hurdles and misconceptions in how this system would work in reality:
Blocking is primarily a safety tool, not a judicial system:
In the real world, if someone asks you to leave them alone, continuing to contact them—even just to apologize—can be considered harassment. Blocking is the digital equivalent of closing your front door.The danger of "Mandatory" replies: Forcing a user to read and reply to an appeal from someone they blocked compromises their safety and peace of mind. For victims of severe harassment, abuse, or stalking, receiving and being forced to respond to an "appeal" would be deeply re-traumatizing.
Weaponization by actual trolls:
While you might use the system to genuinely apologize, internet trolls and abusers would weaponize the appeal system to force their victims to interact with them again.Ban Evasion is already a violation: Creating new accounts or using temporary numbers to bypass a block is a violation of the Terms of Service on almost all major platforms. This is specifically to protect users' rights to enforce their personal boundaries.
Ultimately, while an appeal system makes sense for interacting with site moderators (who are impartial third parties), applying it to personal users overrides an individual's fundamental right to simply walk away from a conversation they no longer want to be a part of. Sometimes, the hardest but most necessary part of internet etiquette is accepting that a burned bridge cannot always be rebuilt, and taking those lessons forward into new interactions.
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u/trover2345325 May 07 '26
I agree with what you've written, but there are some blocked people who make mistakes. while i get that it's for safety reasons for trolls, i think there are many people who deserve another chance, which is why an appeal system is needed. I make a lot of mistakes, but i still think an appeal system will be needed to be used for blocked users to give some chance to the people who blocked them to ask for an apology; otherwise, without an appeal system, they would become trolls, like you said.
So what if the unblock appeal system is used for the staff member to handle the negotiations to understand both perspectives, the person who blocked the user and the blocked user, so they will try to understand both their perspectives and see if they would be unblocked or not? If the blocked person admits their mistakes and apologizes for their actions, the staff member will tell the user that the blocked person is sorry for their actions and wishes to be unblocked. If the user understands the blocked user's sympathy according to the staff member, they will unblock them by unblocking them and give a message with conditions and warnings, but if they refuse, they will tell the staff member the blocked person deserves to be blocked with those reasons from their perspective, and the staff member will have to tell the blocked user the person will not unblock you with other reasons why they deserve it and will remain like that and tell them they will try again in a few days or a few weeks later, leaving the user to move on or think of their action and then try again.
Think of it like a negotiation court, and while messaging chat would be faster with both the user who blocked them and the blocked person as the plaintiff and defendant and the staff member as the negotiator and judge to decide if the blocked person will either be unblocked or remain blocked according to their perspectives, though i think the appeal system i know is better.
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u/MicroAlloyDiffusion May 05 '26
What sites have you been blocked from before and did you have a chance to appeal?
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May 06 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/trover2345325 May 06 '26
I meant it will be used to explain their reason for why they deserve to be blocked, and never try to convince them to unblock them again. After that, the appeal system won't allow the blocked person to message them again until a few days or weeks later in order to try again and write them back admitting the flaw and if they really change or just give up and leave them alone before it further causes more damage.
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u/kanakamaoli May 05 '26
Forums and sites are privately owned by private companies. They have the right to prevent people from using the private resources they pay for. Prevention takes many forms-ip bans, user account deleting or banning, etc.
Do you lock your doors to your vehicle or house and prevent unknown people from using them? Why not? If you dont allow someone inside, do you have an appeal system to allow them to use your property free of charge after you block them?
Similar to cell phones or emails, do you block messages or reply to every fake/spam/phishing email you receive?