Lurking
Reading an online community without posting — present, informed, invisible. The older everyday sense is less friendly: to wait concealed, often with intent to ambush.
Full definition of Lurking →:: COMPARE ::
LurkingvsShadowban
The short answer
Both produce an invisible user, but lurking is invisibility you CHOSE. A shadowban is invisibility done to you without telling you. The lurker knows; the shadowbanned user doesn't.
Side by side
| Aspect | Lurking | Shadowban |
|---|---|---|
| Chosen | Yes | No |
| You know | Yes | No |
| Reversible by you | Instantly | Not at all |
| Harmful | No | Debated |
What each one means
Shadowban
Suppressing a user's visibility without telling them — their posts still exist for them, but reach few or none of the people they would normally reach.
Full definition of Shadowban →