In Microsoft Start, how can I be banned for violating guidelines if I've never commented?

Considering some folks are being banned and never commented, I doubt anything has to do with political bias. I just think it’s Microsoft having a very poor system on commenting.

<removed>

That doesn't answer anything at all. How do you get a violation? How do you appeal? What was my specific violation? These are all things that need to be addressed with people that ask. I have the same questions and the same issue.

To Don:

You provided a lot of good information, thank you.

To George:

Your experience is eye opening. I just logged on to Microsoft Start for the first time ever, using my existing Microsoft account. I couldn't remember my password because it's been years, and so I changed it. Then as soon as I started trying to comment on a news article I was told I was indefinitely banned. All the same things you were told. I've come here try to figure out what happened and how to fix it, but your story tells me that I probably can't. I hope that my comments of the past haven't been deleted because of this, because I've had a Microsoft account since the 1990s when I was in NT40 certified engineer. Yes it's been that long. If this account is now blocked and restricted then nothing I ever contributed for years in the past has been preserved. All I wanted to do was comment on an article about Mitt Romney, where of course inevitably politics and religion come up. I wonder if that's why I was banned? Thing is I hadn't actually said anything yet I'd simply logged in in order to say something. Does the AI simply flag anyone that wants to comment?

I live in Fargo North Dakota, and there is a Microsoft building here. I wonder if I should be bold enough to walk in and ask them what the heck is going on.

Yeah that would be seen as crazy probably. Somebody coming in person? I'd probably be led out as a potential threat.

I guess I'll start with a phone call.

George, so sorry. Forgive me. Blessings!!!! linda.🌹

@Don Varnau

Volunteer Moderator

OK... along the same lines concerning the AI "Moderation", I was erroneously suspended and restricted for an innocuous comment back in 9/22. ONE COMMENT. The notification of suspension that I received claimed that...

"9/30/22 You've been banned due to violations of our guidelines. Due to REPEATED violations of our community guidelines, your account has been restricted indefinitely. You will no longer be able to comment or post content to the community."

Remember, I only had ONE comment that drew the asinine ire of the AI, or potentially live moderation.

I appealed the restriction ( actually had to submit it multiple times before I received a decision) and WON ALL 7 appeal requests, and was told that "I should be able to comment soon".

I was then rewarded with an unjustified and unwarranted further 72 hour account suspension....WITHOUT ANY OFFENSE AGAINST T.O.S., AFTER winning my appeals for my efforts. Well, that inexplicable 72 hour restriction has now turned into 7 MONTHS.

Not to mention..... the "Powers that be" at Microsoft Start, in their infinite wisdom, decided that it would be a great idea to go back into my comment history and literally DELETE EVERY SINGLE COMMENT ON EVERY SINGLE ARTICLE THAT I EVER POSTED. NONE of which were EVER in any sort of violation against the guidelines.

I have repeatedly utilized the "Feedback" button at the bottom right of the page, to no avail. I still am unable to comment. If I check my account status, it shows that my account is restricted, and that I can comment in 72 hours.

And my comment history shows the 7 individual appeal victories, and yet here I am 7 months later, and still unable to comment, with ABSOLUTELY no recourse to remedy the situation. A situation that I am provenly NOT at fault in creating.

And to further my frustration, I have read your replies to other users, and while I understand that this isn't your "Department" the "Canned Answers" that you have given, basically amount to stating that the end user, who has PAID for the services that are supplied under the Microsoft banner and any of their subsidiaries... have ABSOLUTELY no consumer accountability recourse methods against this broken, biased and unfair method of "moderation". A fact which you yourself, have admitted in your replies.

After this... I guess my only question is.... if you all know it's broken, and unfairly removing people from the digital public square, literally disenfranchising, squelching, censoring and silencing the voice of your PAYING customers......

WHY AREN'T THEY FIXING IT?

Or is it intentional?

I have a similar question. I've been on the Microsoft Community for some time, but recently, my responses have been kicked out because of "community guidelines". I've even shortened them to one sentence, to have the same thing done. I'm beginning to thing that the Microsoft Community is falling under the guidelines of a certain <removed> Governor, who wishes nothing to be posted. I tried to post something about going to my public library and reading all the books that I had access to. That was kicked out because it didn't follow the correct guidelines. These are not guidelines, but censorship. My comments are mediocre, at best. Please reply.

Sorry but... 

You aren't communicating with MSN here. No one here can tell you why a post was blocked.

Here's my canned response on moderation. Please see, in particular, point 4.

I can't explain the moderation of comments to MSN articles, but here are some observations.

1. You may find useful information at https://www.msn.com/en-us/community/guideline 

2. There were so many unacceptable comments that commenting was shut down for a few

months not too long ago.

3. Now that commenting is allowed again, moderation is very restrictive.

4. Moderation is a dysfunctional mess. It's being done via AI, via a bot, not humans and is

random and inexplicable.

5. If a comment you tried to post was banned, that will be in your activity feed, and you

can appeal that decision.

6. I've searched but have not found a way to contact MSN staff regarding this moderation

except the Feedback link that's at the bottom of nearly every MSN webpage. If you receive

a reply to the feedback, it will be a generic reply that doesn't address your specific issue.

And... About that word that was removed from your post...

From the Code of Conduct. 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/page/faq#faqCodeConduct 

Please don't: 

 * Post political or religious content as it is considered off-topic and not appropriate for this community. 

Don