The check that tells you what happened
Open the post link in a private window, logged out. Then open your profile the same way.
| Logged out you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Post is there, everything normal | Nothing happened. It is just quiet. | Nothing. New posts sink fast in big subs. |
| Post missing, profile fine | The subreddit removed or filtered it | Modmail: ask which rule it hit |
| Post says removed by moderator | A human took it down | Read the rules, then modmail once |
| Whole profile missing | Shadowban, account level | Check and appeal |
The gates a new account runs into
None of this is personal and none of it is announced. Communities set these up to keep out drive-by promotion, and they catch everybody new on the way.
- Minimum karma. Very common in mid-sized and large subs. Under the line, AutoModerator removes the post before anyone sees it.
- Minimum account age. Days in some places, weeks in others. Karma does not buy your way past it.
- Link filters. Plenty of subs remove any post containing a link when the account is new, and some remove specific domains from everyone regardless of age.
- Flair required. Post without one and it is gone in seconds, which reads exactly like a ban if you do not know the rule exists.
- Reposting the same thing around. The same link or the same title across several subs in a day is the pattern the site-wide filter is built for.
Worth knowing: karma is counted per subreddit by many AutoModerator setups, so 400 karma earned in one community does not open the door in another.
What to ask the mods
Modmail, one message, no drama. Something like: "Hi, my post from this morning is not showing publicly. Did it hit a karma or age rule so I know for next time?" Some teams answer the same day, some never answer, and it depends entirely on how big and how staffed that community is. When they do answer, a post that only tripped the filter often gets approved.
What does not work is posting it again immediately. The filter has not changed its mind, and now there are two removals on your record in that sub.
Getting the next one to stick
- Comment first, for a couple of weeks. Comment karma is what these gates measure, and it is the fastest thing to earn honestly.
- Read the rules page, not the sidebar summary. The thresholds are usually written there in plain text.
- Post without a link the first time. If people want the link, they will ask in the comments, and then it is not promotion.
- One sub at a time. Same content in five places on the same day is the single clearest bot signal you can send.
- Answer everyone who replies. Early replies are also what keeps the post alive in the ranking.
The full ramp, week by week, is in how to warm up a Reddit account. If it turns out you really were banned, this one covers which ban you have and how to appeal.
The rules, before you write
Removed posts: FAQ
Why does my post look fine to me?
Removed posts stay visible in your own view and on your profile. Logged out is the only way to see what everybody else sees.
How much karma do I need?
There is no site-wide number: each subreddit sets its own, and many count only the karma earned inside that community. The rules page usually says it.
Can I repost it?
Not right away and not the same text. Ask the mods what it hit, fix that, and wait.
Is this a shadowban?
Only if your entire profile is invisible logged out. One missing post with a working profile is a subreddit removal.