You’re not the first person to get banned from OkCupid, but what can you do? It’s one of those platforms that don’t let people run too wild.
OkCupid’s Ban Policy is a strict one, but if you think about it, that’s exactly how it should be: rigid and promoting the well-being of users.
But sometimes, for no seemingly no good reason, OKC decided to give certain users the boot—something you don’t want happening if you like using the app.
Let’s talk a little about OkCupid and banning—why it happens, how it goes, and what needs to be done about it.
Why you got banned on OkCupid: Violating OKC Terms of Service.
The reason why you got banned on the platform is cut-and-dry: you violated OKC’s Community Guidelines.
OkCupid hopes that all users treat each other with respect and dignity—how they would treat IRL people, in other words.
– It’s important for your profile and behavior on the platform to be appropriate! If it’s not, you may get kicked to the curb.
OkCupid does not allow:
- Sexual content/sexually-charged behavior;
- Any form of harassment;
- Joint couples account (they must be separate);
- Hateful behavior while speaking to fellow users or putting hateful content on your profile (racism, homophobia, sexism, etc., are all forbidden);
- Users who are NOT looking for a relationship;
- Violent or any other type of graphic content;
- Fake or non-unique accounts (you must have one, and it must be a fair representation of who you are);
- Promotional behavior;
- Joining the app while being a minor;
- Discussing/conducting illegal acts;
- Photos of one’s kids on their profile;
- Private, safety-compromising information to be shared (e.g. addresses).
This is what’s punishable by OKC in a nutshell, so don’t be too shocked by having your account removed if you’ve ever, at any point, broken the rules.
Most individuals seeking advice in this situation already know what they’ve done wrong, but in case you don’t, let me tell you this: it’s possible to have gotten banned due to a mistake on your end.
Some rules are confusing and never heard before; think of it as getting banned not because of something you’ve done, but something you didn’t know.
If you’re certain you didn’t disrespect anybody in any way, shape, or form, then you most likely did one of the following:
Convinced OkCupid your profile is fake.
Having a fake profile isn’t the only thing that pisses OKC off…having a profile that SEEMS fake does the trick too.
Maybe you’re not disclosing as much information as you should be!
- Physical specifics;
- Orientation;
- Political beliefs;
- Language and ethnicity;
- Religion;
- Education, and so forth.
Or maybe you’re not using your photos or photos with people in them; it’s also possible that your bio is not up to par.
Another thing that makes you lose credibility in OKC’s eyes is ghosting your matches and swiping either only left or right.
Being a single parent shows their kids off.
I think being open about your life in this sense is a great thing, but OKC sees including photos of your children as unnecessary.
It is a dating platform for ADULTS, and you’re probably better off not doing it.
Being under the age of 18.
My point of OkCupid being a site for adults stands; it also consists of mainly adults, so it’s not safe for a minor to be there.
Not saying that your age should prevent you from dating, but there are better ways to meet people in your age range!
Having a shared OKC profile with your significant other.
Again, this doesn’t mean that you and your partner can’t search for a third person—you just have to do it on two separate accounts and then link one another.
– If you’re looking for an affair partner, however, and your partner doesn’t know, you’re more prone to getting banned.
Sharing sensitive information.
“But how will I get to meet someone?”—good point, but you really don’t need to be sharing private information to do that.
Revealing sensitive information, such as your place of living or family members’ identities, classifies as TOO MUCH, and you probably need to avoid it for your safety’s sake.
Online platforms aren’t exactly the safest way to meet people and you could be giving a dangerous person exactly what they want.
Promoting something intentionally or not.
It’s easy to get carried away when talking about something we really like, say, a certain restaurant.
To OkCupid and its users, passionately talking about something makes you look like an affiliate of said entity; you should tone it down a bit.
– Getting reported often—for a good reason—results in a ban as well.
How long does an OkCupid Ban last?
An OkCupid Ban lasts forever. Unless you’re able to somehow reverse it, your account is gone for good.
The worst part about it is that OkCupid doesn’t tell you the reason you got banned to protect the identity of the people who reported you.
E.g. if you disclosed to someone you joined the app without your partner’s knowledge, that user will most likely report you; if OKC tells you the reason you got reported is deceptive behavior, you’ll instantly know who the culprit is.
There are only 2 ways of getting unbanned from OkCupid.
I have good news and bad news.
The good news is that there exists a way for you to get your profile unbanned, and the bad news is that it’s not infallible.
1. Submit a Ban Appeal to OkCupid.
The only shot you have at reversing a Ban is through OkCupid’s Form, which must be completed within 6 months of the date you got banned.
Pick Ban and Content Removal Appeal as your issue, provide your email address, and write a short description of what is happening.
Double-check to see if everything is filled out (or OkCupid won’t consider your appeal), and click on Submit.
Getting a response should take anywhere from 24 hours to a week, so be patient!
2. Make a new OkCupid account—new email, phone number, and everything.
Your account will be unbanned if you’re one of the lucky ones…but that doesn’t happen too often since OkCupid doesn’t ban people for no reason.
Making a new account is, unfortunately, the only way to use OkCupid after being banned; but it’s not that easy.
Your new account would need new contact information and profile content.
– Use a VPN in case OKC has banned your IP Address.
When making a new account, it’s recommended to mask your real IP Address because OkCupid bans it alongside your profile.
This can be done through:
- VPN services (e.g. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhostVPN, etc.), or;
- Using your mobile data, home Wi-Fi, or a network you’ve never used on OKC before.
– Use a different phone number from the one you did before.
Like how Tinder bans your phone number, OkCupid does the same thing in hopes of preventing you from making a new account, so you need a new one.
You can get new phone numbers for OKC through:
- Providers like AT&T or T-Mobile;
- Using an acquaintance’s (with their consent, naturally);
- Online services that offer unique numbers such as DatingZest’s OkCupid Phone Numbers.
When OkCupid tells you to use your phone number to sign up, use the fake one instead so they don’t recognize you.
– After creating your account, use different photos for your profile and avoid behaving the same way you did before getting banned!
If you’re having trouble logging in, you’re most likely banned on OkCupid.
OKC doesn’t tell you WHY you’ve been banned, but it does tell you you’ve been banned; technical difficulties are the most common signs.
If an error comes up, saying you violated the Terms of Violation or that your account has been “Suspended”, then your account’s banned.
Ultimately, the inability to log in is also a sign.
– If you have been Shadowbanned on OkCupid, similar to being Shadowbanned on Hinge, telling is going to be harder.
You’re going to experience troubles with the app itself: fewer matches and an increase in in-app glitching.
In any case, you may contact OkCupid about your issue over at their Customer Support Form.
Good luck!
Liam.
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