When should you issue a warning vs. a temporary ban vs. a permanent ban?

The decision between issuing a warning, a temporary ban, or a permanent ban is one of the most consequential judgment calls moderators make, and having a principled framework for these decisions is essential to both fairness and consistent community governance. The appropriate response should be calibrated to the severity of the violation, the user's history, and the degree of harm the behavior caused to the community. Warnings are appropriate for first-time rule violations that are minor, clearly unintentional, and not harmful to other members. A new user who posts without required flair, who submits content in the wrong subreddit, or who is not yet familiar with a community's posting guidelines benefits from a warning that explains the violation and what they should do differently. The warning should be specific and actionable, and it should be logged in the mod team's records so future moderators have context if the user reoffends. Temporary bans — ranging from a day to several weeks depending on the subreddit's standard practice — are appropriate for violations that are more serious, for repeated instances of the same offense after warnings have been issued, or for behavior that is disruptive to other members even if not at the level of a permanent removal. A user who posts inflammatory content, engages in repeated low-level harassment, or persistently violates posting rules despite clear warnings has demonstrated that warnings alone are not changing their behavior. The ban length should be proportional to the violation and clearly communicated with the specific reason stated. Permanent bans are reserved for violations that are severe enough that rehabilitation within the community is not feasible or appropriate: doxxing, targeted harassment campaigns, hate speech, coordinated vote manipulation, posting illegal content, or sustained abusive behavior after temporary bans have not deterred the conduct. The threshold for a permanent ban should be high enough that it is applied consistently rather than used as a first resort for moderators who are frustrated with a user.